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diff --git a/21463.txt b/21463.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b77bbbd --- /dev/null +++ b/21463.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5245 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Voyages and Travels of Count Funnibos and +Baron Stilkin, by William H. G. Kingston + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Voyages and Travels of Count Funnibos and Baron Stilkin + +Author: William H. G. Kingston + +Release Date: May 15, 2007 [EBook #21463] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK COUNT FUNIBOS AND STILKIN *** + + + + +Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England + + + + +Voyages and Travels of Count Funnibos and Baron Stilkin, by William H G +Kingston. + +________________________________________________________________________ + +This book is definitely intended for the younger ones. Kingston does +not really show how humorous he can be in most of his books, but this +book is definitely meant to be funny and succeeds. + +Two elderly minor nobles agree that they will set out on a voyage to see +the world. They set out on it, but their adventures take them no +farther than Holland, which is where they already are. They have +various mishaps, and even at one point get separated, only coming +together again by chance. The whole thing is so absurd that we can +relax and laugh at the adventures of the two noblemen. It is curious, +the different mindset one has to have when reading the exploits of a +couple of plainly idiotic buffoons, compared with that taken on when +reading practically any other book. + +The book is illustrated profusely, and we feel you will enjoy reading or +listening to it. + +________________________________________________________________________ + +VOYAGES AND TRAVELS OF COUNT FUNNIBOS AND BARON STILKIN, BY WILLIAM H G +KINGSTON. + + + +CHAPTER ONE. + +"What shall we do with ourselves, my dear Stilkin?" exclaimed Count +Funnibos, yawning and stretching out his legs and arms, which were of +the longest. + +"Do! why, travel," answered Baron Stilkin, with a smile on his genial +countenance. + +"Travel! what for?" asked the Count, yawning again. + +"To see the world, to be sure," answered the Baron. + +"The world! why, don't we see it by looking out of the window?" asked +the Count. + +"That's what many people say, and fancy they know the world when they +have looked out of their own windows," observed the Baron. + +"Ah, yes, perhaps you are right: you always are when I happen to be +wrong, and you differ from me--unless you are wrong also," replied the +Count. "But where shall we go?" + +"Why, round the world if we want to see it;--or as far round as we can +get," said the Baron, correcting himself; "and then we shall not have +seen it all." + +"When shall we start?" asked the Count, brightening up; "next year?" + +"Next fiddlesticks! this afternoon, to be sure. Don't put off till +to-morrow what can be done to-day, still less till next year. What's to +hinder us? We have no ties." + +"Yes, there are my neck-ties to come from the laundress," said the +Count, who was addicted to taking things literally; "and I must procure +some new shoe-ties." + +"Never mind, I'll get them for you in good time," said the Baron. "You +have plenty of money, so you can pay for both of us, which will simplify +accounts." + +"Yes, to be sure, I hate complicated accounts," remarked the Count, who +thought the Baron the essence of wisdom, and that this was an especially +bright idea. "And what luggage shall we require?" + +"Let me see: you have two valises--one will do for you and the other for +me," said the Baron, putting his fore-finger on his brow in a thoughtful +manner. "All, yes; besides the ties you will require a shirt-collar or +two, a comb to unravel those hyacinthine locks of yours, a pair of +spectacles, and a toothpick. It might be as well also to take an +umbrella, in case we should be caught out in the rainy season." + +"But shouldn't I take my slippers?" asked the Count. + +"What a brilliant idea!" exclaimed the Baron. "And that reminds me that +you must of course take your seven-league boots." + +"But I have only one pair, and if I put them on I shall be unable to +help running away from you, and we could no longer be called travelling +companions." + +"Ah, yes, I foresaw that difficulty from the first," observed the Baron. +"But, my dear Funnibos, I never allow difficulties to stand in my way. +I've thought of a plan to overcome that one. You shall wear one boot +and I'll wear the other, then hand in hand we'll go along across the +country almost as fast as you would alone." + +"Much faster--for I should to a certainty lose my way, or stick in a +quagmire," observed the Count. + +"Then all our arrangements are made," said the Baron. "I'll see about +any other trifles we may require. Now let us pack up." + +"You have forgotten my ties," observed the Count. + +"Ah, yes, so I had," observed the Baron, and he hurried off to the +laundress for them. He soon returned, and the valises being filled and +strapped up, the Baron tucked one under each arm. + +"Stop," said the Count, "I must give directions to my housekeeper about +the management of my castle and estates during my absence." + +"Tell her to bolt the windows and lock all the doors of the castle, so +that no one can get in; and as for the estates, they won't run away," +said the Baron. + +"Thank you for the bright idea; I'll act upon it," answered the Count. +"Still, people do lose their estates in some way or other. How is +that?" + +"Because they do not look properly after them," answered the Baron. + +"But mine are secured to my heirs," said the Count. + +"Then they cannot run away unless your heirs run also, therefore pray +set your mind at rest on that score; and now come along." The Baron as +he spoke took up the two portmanteaus, which were patent Lilliputians, +warranted to carry any amount of clothing their owners could put into +them, and they set off on their travels. + +"In what direction shall we go?" asked the Count. + +"That must depend upon circumstances," answered the Baron. "Wherever +the wind blows us." + +"But suppose it should blow one day in one direction and another in the +opposite, how shall we ever get to the end of our voyage?" inquired the +Count, stopping, and looking his companion in the face. + +"That puzzles me, but let us get on board first, and see how things turn +out," observed the Baron. "Ships do go round the world somehow or +other, and I suppose if they do not find a fair wind in one place they +find it another." + +"But how are they to get to that other place?" asked the Count, who was +in an inquisitive mood. + +"That's what we are going to find out," observed the Baron. + +"But must we go by sea?" asked the Count. "Could not we keep on the +land, and then we shall be independent of the wind?" + +"My dear Count, don't you know that we cannot possibly get round the +world unless we go by sea?" exclaimed the Baron. "I thought that you +had received a better education than to be ignorant of that fact." + +"Ah, yes, to be sure, when I have condescended to look at a map, I have +observed that there are two great oceans, dividing the continent of +America from Europe on one side, and Asia on the other, but I had +forgotten it at the moment. However, is it absolutely necessary to go +all the way round the world? Could we not on this excursion just see a +part of it, and then, if we like our expedition, we can conclude it on +another occasion." + +"But how are we to see the world unless we go round it?" exclaimed the +Baron, with some asperity in his tone. "That is what I thought we set +out to do." + +"Ah, yes, my dear Baron, but, to tell you the truth, I do not feel quite +comfortable at the thoughts of going so far," said the Count, in a +hesitating tone. "Could not we just see one country first, then +another, and another, and so on? We shall know far more about them than +if we ran round the globe as fast as the lightning flashes, or bullet or +arrow flies, or a fish swims; or you may choose any other simile you +like to denote speed," observed the Count. "In that case we should only +see things on our right hand, and on our left, and I do not think we +should know much about the countries towards either of the Poles." + +"Your remark exhibits a sagacity for which I always gave you credit," +observed the Baron, making a bow to his friend. "But I tell you what, +if we stop talking here we shall never make any progress on our journey. +Let us go down to the quay and ascertain what vessels are about to +sail, and we can accordingly take a passage on board one of them." + +"We could not well take a passage on board two," observed the Count. + +"Ha, ha, ha!" laughed the Baron; "very good, very good; but come along, +my dear fellow; stir your stumps, as the English vulgarly express it; +let us be moving; _Allons donc_, as a Frenchman would say." And arm in +arm the two travellers proceeded to the quay. On reaching it they +observed an individual of rotund proportions, with a big apron fastened +up to his chin, seated on the end of a wall smoking a long clay pipe, +and surrounded by chests, bales, casks, and packages of all +descriptions. He looked as if he was lord of all he surveyed: indeed +there was no other individual in sight except a person coming up some +steps from the river and bringing several buckets suspended from a stick +over his shoulders, but he was evidently a hewer of wood and a drawer of +water, and therefore of no account in the eyes of the burly gentleman. + +"Friend," said the Baron, making a bow to the latter individual, "can +you inform me where we shall find a vessel about to sail round the +world, and when she is likely to proceed on her voyage?" + +The latter individual took a sidelong glance at the Baron, and then at +the Count, and blew a puff of smoke, but made no answer. + +"The poor man is perhaps deaf," suggested the Count. Whereon the Baron +in louder tones exclaimed, "Can you tell me, friend,"--the burly +individual blew another cloud of smoke--"where shall we find a vessel +about to sail round the world, and when she commences her voyage?" +continued the Baron. + +The burly individual opened his eyes as wide as his fat cheeks would +allow him, then blew a fresh cloud of smoke, and with the end of his +pipe, evidently not wishing to fatigue himself by speaking, pointed +along the quay, where the masts of numerous vessels could be seen +crowded together. + +"Thank you, friend," said the Count, making a bow, for he always piqued +himself on his politeness. The Baron felt angry at not having his +question answered more promptly, and only gave a formal nod, of which +the burly individual took not the slightest notice. + +The two travellers continued on, picking their way among the casks, +cases, bales, packages and anchors, and guns stuck upright with their +muzzles in the ground, and bits of iron chain and spars, and broken +boats, and here and there a capstan or a windlass, tall cranes, and all +sorts of other articles such as encumber the wharves of a mercantile +seaport. As they went along the Baron asked the same question which he +had put to the burly individual of several other persons whom he and his +friend encountered; some laughed and did not take the trouble of +replying, others said that there were vessels of all sorts about to sail +to various lands, but whether they were going round the world was not +known to them. + +"We must make inquiries for ourselves," said the Baron. "Remember that +those who want a thing go for it, those who don't want it stay at home; +now, as we do want to know where those ships are about to sail to, we +must go." + +"But, my dear Baron, a dreadful thought has occurred to me. I quite +forgot to speak to Johanna Klack, my estimable and trustworthy +housekeeper, to give her directions as to her proceedings during my +absence. I really think I must go back, or she will not know what to +do." + +"No, no, my dear Count, I cannot allow you to do so foolish an act. I +know Johanna Klack too well for that," said the Baron, with some +bitterness in his tone. "She'll not let you go away again; she'll talk +you to death with arguments against your going; she'll lock you up in +the blue room, or the brown room, or in the dungeon itself, and I shall +have to proceed alone. More than half the pleasure of the voyage will +be lost without your society; besides which, I have no money to pay for +my passage, for you will remember that you undertook to do that." + +"Then, I will leave my portmanteau and my umbrella with you as a +security," said the Count, trying to get his arm free from that of his +friend. + +"Ha, ha, ha! that will be no security at all," observed the Baron. +"Why, it would be the cause of my destruction. Just see how I should be +situated. Johanna Klack will shut you up, and you will disappear from +this sublunary world for a time, at all events. It is already known +that we set out on our travels. I shall be discovered with your +portmanteau as well as my own, and accused, notwithstanding my +protestations of innocence, of having done away with you, and before +Johanna Klack allows you to reappear I shall to a certainty be hung up +by the neck, or have my head chopped off, or be transported beyond seas. +Johanna Klack may be a very estimable and charming individual, but I +know her too well to trust her. Let her alone; she and your steward +being, as you say, thoroughly honest, will manage your affairs to your +satisfaction. When we are once away--two or three hundred miles off-- +you can write and tell her that you are gone on your travels, and give +such directions as you may deem necessary. Come along, my dear fellow, +come along; I fear even now that she may have discovered our departure +and may consider it her duty to follow us." + +"If she does, she had better look out for the consequences," said the +Baron to himself. + +The Count yielded to his friend's arguments, and they continued their +course. As they reached the more frequented parts of the quay, where +the larger number of vessels were collected, they observed a party of +jovial sailors assembled in front of a wine-shop door; some were seated +at their ease on benches, either smoking or holding forth to their +companions, who were standing by listening. They looked perfectly happy +and contented with themselves. One lolling back with his legs stretched +out, who was evidently the orator of the party, and thought no small +beer of himself, was spinning an interesting yarn or making some amusing +jokes. + +"Those are the sort of mariners I should like to sail with," observed +the Baron. "They are stout fellows, and probably first-rate seamen. +Let us draw near and hear what they are talking about." + +The sailors took no notice of the Count and Baron as they approached. + +"I tell you I've been to the North Sea and to the South Seas, to the Red +Sea and the Black Sea, and the Yellow Sea too, and crossed the Atlantic, +Pacific, and Indian Oceans scores of times; and I've sailed to the North +Pole and South Pole, and all the world round, and I have seen stranger +sights than have most men, from the day they were born to the day they +died. The strangest spectacle I ever beheld was once in the Indian +Ocean. We were sailing along with a fair breeze and studding sails set +below and aloft, when we saw coming towards us five water-spouts, just +like so many twisted columns: dark clouds seemed to come from the sky, +and piles of water rose out of the ocean. It was a bad look-out for us, +for we expected to have them aboard our ship, when they would have sent +her to the bottom in no time. But our skipper was not a man to be +daunted by difficulties. As soon as he saw them coming he ordered the +guns to be loaded and run out. As the first came near he fired, and +down fell the waterspout with a rushing sound into the ocean. `It is +your turn next,' he sang out, pointing a gun at another, which he +treated in the same fashion; but three came on together, when he blazed +away at them and all were knocked to pieces in a moment; and the ocean +was as calm as it had been before we saw them. You may well say that +was curious. I have heard of water-spouts doing much damage, but I +never saw a ship swamped by one." + +The Count and Baron were much interested, and got still nearer, that +they might not lose a word. + +"I told you, mates, that I had been to the North Pole and South Pole, +and I've seen wonderful sights there also. What do you think of an +iceberg a mile long, two or three hundred feet high? I have been among +such, and surrounded by them too, in a way which seemed as if it was +impossible we should ever get free again. When the sun is shining +they're beautiful to look at: some with great caverns below, with +icicles hanging down from the roof, and the top of the berg covered with +what one might fancy to be towers, steeples, and ruined castles and +arches, all glittering and shining just as if they were made of +alabaster and precious stones; and the sea a deep purple, or sometimes +blue, with streaks of yellow and red. You'd think it was cold enough +there, but the summer up in the North is one long day, with the sun in +the sky all the time; and I have known it pretty hot there--hot enough +to set the icebergs melting, and the water rushing down their sides in +fountains. Now and then, when the under part is worn away, they get +top-heavy, and over they go, just like a porpoise making a somersault. +It does not do to be near them on those occasions, for they'd send the +stoutest ship to the bottom in a moment; and even at a distance I have +known bits of ice come down on the deck big enough to crack a +blackamoor's head, though we were many fathoms off it. + +"As I said, the summer is short, and that is the only time ships can +sail about, and make their way among the ice. Then comes the winter, +and terribly long that is; it lasts well-nigh ten months, and for all +that time the ship is shut up just as fast as if she was in a dock with +the entrance closed by stone. There she lies, housed over, with +topgallant-masts struck, and if it was not for the stoves below, which +must be kept alight at all hours of the day and night, people would be +frozen to death: I have heard, indeed, of a whole ship's company being +turned into ice. For many days during the time the sun is below the +horizon, and there is one long night; the stars, however, when the sky +is clear, shine brightly, and sometimes the Northern lights blaze up and +sparkle, and people can see their way over the ice, but it is not +pleasant travelling, and one has to wear wonderfully thick clothing, and +mits on the hands, and to cover up all but the eyes, nose, and mouth, or +a man would get frost--bitten very quickly. Then bears come prowling +about, and they are awkward customers to meet alone, for they have +powerful jaws and sharp claws, and one hug is enough to squeeze the +breath out of a person. They have carried off many a poor fellow who +has wandered away from his ship. Besides the bears there are Arctic +foxes, with white fur, and though they do not attack a fellow on his +feet with a thick stick in his hand, yet I do not know how they would +treat him if they found him lying down unable to defend himself. + +"Sometimes ships, before they can get into harbour, are caught in the +ice, and have to pass the winter out in the sea, if they have time to +cut a dock before the ice presses on them. They may thus be tolerably +secure, but I have known ships to be crushed to atoms before they have +had time to do that, and their crews have had to get on board other +ships, or make for the land, and spend the winter there in snow huts; or +they have perished. Still, many people have passed two and three +winters together in the Arctic regions, and have kept their health and +been happy, when they have had sufficient firing and good food. On one +of those occasions I learned to read and write, which I did not know how +to do before, and much use it has been to me ever since. + +"Then we had amusements of all sorts. We rigged a theatre on board, and +acted plays and recited, and had a masquerade, and funny sort of dresses +we appeared in. But we had work to do also; we had to build a wall of +snow round the ship, so that in cold weather we were protected from the +wind when we took our exercise, running round and round inside it. The +worst part of the business was the long night and the bitter cold, for +it was cold, I can tell you; and glad enough we were when we saw the sun +rising just above the hillocks of ice far away to the southward, and +though for some time it was for a very short period above the horizon, +yet day after day at noon it appeared higher and higher, and its rays +shed some warmth down upon us. + +"Still the winter was not over, and our captain arranged to make some +journeys to explore the country. In that part of the world dogs are +often used to draw sleighs, but as we had no dogs we were compelled to +drag them ourselves, about five men to each sleigh, which is a sort of +long carriage without wheels, with iron runners like two skates placed +under it, and the goods lashed along on the top. We carried our +provisions, tents, and cooking utensils. When the ice was smooth it was +pretty easy travelling, but we often had to drag the sleighs up steep +places, over hillocks, and rough ground, and then it was heavy work, and +we could only make good a few miles a day. + +"A man need be pretty strong and hardy to go through that sort of work. +At night we slept inside our tents, as close together as we could pack, +the only warmth we could obtain being from the spirit lamps we carried, +which served also to warm up our cocoa and cook our food. I was not +sorry when the journey was over, though we were merry enough during it. +At length we got out of harbour, but we had still not a few dangers to +encounter. Sometimes we were nearly driven on shore by the floes of ice +pressing on us; at others we ran a great risk of being nipped by getting +between two floes which approached each other; then there was the chance +of the icebergs falling down on us. We several times had to cut our way +with saws through the ice to get into open water. We were heartily glad +when we were free altogether, and sailing along with a fair wind over +the ocean to the southward, leaving the world of ice astern. However, I +should be ready to go again, and so would most fellows who were with me, +I have a notion." + +"That's more than I should, after what I have heard," observed the Count +to the Baron. "I object excessively to take a trip to the North Pole, +wherever else we may go. I have no fancy, either, to be sent to the +bottom by a waterspout." + +"Wherever we go we may expect to meet with some danger or other," said +the Baron. "It adds zest to the pleasure of travelling." + +"I would rather avoid the zest," said the Count. "But shall we ask +these brave fellows what ship they belong to. Perhaps she's not going +to the North Pole or the Indian Seas on this occasion, and they +evidently form a sturdy crew. Will you speak to them or shall I?" + +"I'll address them," said the Baron, and stepping up to the seamen, he +said-- + +"Brave sailors, I have heard the account your shipmate has been giving +you of his adventures, and as we are desirous of sailing round the +world, we should be glad to take a passage on board the ship to which +you belong." + +"Unless you were to chop yourselves up into a good many portions you'd +find that a hard matter, master," answered one of the seamen. "We all +happen, do ye see, to belong to different ships, and some don't belong +to any ship at all, and when we do sail, the chances are we go to as +many parts of the world." + +"Then, most gallant sailors, will you have the kindness to inform us +what ship is likely next to sail from this port, and whither is she +bound?" said the Baron. + +"As to that, I heard old Jan Dunck, skipper of the galiot _Golden Hog_, +saying that he was about to sail for Amsterdam with the next tide. It +wants but an hour or so to that time, and if you look sharp about it you +may get on board and make your arrangements with him before he trips his +anchor," answered the sailor. + +"Thanks, brave sailors, for the information you have afforded us," said +the Baron. "You will confer a further favour if you will show us where +the said galiot _Golden Hog_ lies at anchor. Among this vast fleet of +shipping we should otherwise have considerable difficulty in discovering +her, and my friend Count Funnibos will, I am sure, reward you +handsomely." + +"Reward is neither here nor there, but I don't mind showing you old +Dunck's craft, if you will come along with me." + +Thus saying, the sailor, getting up, put his hands in his pockets, and +led the way along the quay. On one side it was bordered by high houses, +with curious gables; the floors projecting one beyond the other, and +little terraces and balconies and excrescences of all sorts, carved and +painted in gay colours, and cranes and beams, with blocks and ropes +hanging from their ends. On the other side appeared a forest of masts, +yards, and rigging, rising out of vessels of all shapes and sizes, in +apparently such inextricable confusion that it seemed impossible they +should ever get free of each other, and float independently on the +ocean. On the opposite side was an old castle with four towers, looking +very glum and gloomy; and more vessels and boats below it, leaving the +centre of the river tolerably clear for other craft to pass up and down. +The sailor rolled along with an independent air, not looking to see +whether those he had offered to guide were following him; now and then, +when passing an old shipmate it might be, or other nautical +acquaintance, he gave a nod of recognition without taking his hands from +his pockets or his pipe from his mouth. + +"Who have you got in tow there?" asked one or two. + +"Don't know: they want to see the skipper, Jan Dunck, and I'm piloting +them to where his galiot lies." + +"They look remarkably green, but they'll be done considerably brown +before old Dunck lands them," he said in an under tone, so that the +Count and Baron did not hear him. As they were going along the sailor +stopped suddenly, and pointed to a black-whiskered man, wearing a +tarpaulin hat on his head, with high boots, and a flushing coat. + +"There's the skipper, Jan Dunck, and there's his craft just off the +shore. I'll tell him what you want, and wish you a good voyage," said +the seaman, who then went up to the skipper. + +"If they pay for their passage, and do not complain of the roughness of +the sea, or blame me for it, I'll take them," said the skipper, eyeing +the Count and the Baron as he spoke. + +The arrangement was soon concluded. + +"But you promised that I should reward the sailor," observed the Count +to his friend. + +"I will return him our profuse thanks. Such will be the most simple and +economical way of paying the debt," answered the Baron; and turning to +the seaman, he said, politely lifting his hat, "Most brave and gallant +mariner, Count Funnibos and Baron Stilkin desire to return you their +most profuse thanks for the service you have rendered them, in +conducting them this far on their journey, and making known to them +this, I doubt not, worthy, stout, and sturdy captain, with whom they are +about to commence their voyages over the treacherous ocean." + +"That's neither here nor there; I was happy to do you a service and +you're welcome to it, only in future don't make promises which you +cannot pay in better coin than that you have treated me with; and so +good day, Count Fuddlepate and Baron Stickum, or whatever you call +yourselves," answered the sailor; who, sticking his pipe in his mouth, +which he had taken out to make this long speech, and putting his hands +in his pocket, rolled back to where he had left his companions, to whom +he failed not to recount the liberal treatment he had received in the +way of compliment from the two exalted individuals he had introduced to +Captain Jan Dunck. + + + +CHAPTER TWO. + +"Well, Mynheers, the sooner we get on board the galiot the better," said +Captain Jan Dunck, addressing the Count and Baron. "She's a fine +craft--a finer never floated on the Zuyder Zee; she carries a wonderful +amount of cargo; her accommodation for passengers is excellent; her +cabin is quite a palace, a fit habitation for a king. She's well found +with a magnificent crew of sturdy fellows, and as to her captain, I +flatter myself--though it is I who say it--that you will not find his +equal afloat; yes, Mynheers, I say so without vanity. I've sailed, man +and boy, for forty years or more on the stormy ocean, and never yet +found my equal. I will convey you and your luggage and all other +belongings to Amsterdam with speed and safety, always providing the +winds are favourable, and we do not happen to stick on a mud-bank to be +left high and dry till the next spring-tide, or that a storm does not +arise and send us to the bottom, the fate which has overtaken many a +stout craft, but which by my skill and knowledge I hope to avoid. +However, I now invite you to come on board the _Golden Hog_, that we may +be ready to weigh anchor directly the tide turns, and proceed on our +voyage. There lies the craft on board which you are to have the +happiness of sailing;" and Captain Jan Dunck, as he spoke, pointed to a +galiot of no over large proportions which lay a short distance from the +wharf, with her sails loosed ready for sea. + +"Well, we are fortunate in finding so experienced a navigator," observed +the Count to the Baron, as they followed Captain Jan Dunck towards the +steps at the bottom of which lay his boat. "He'll carry us as safely +round the world as would have done the brave Captains Schouten and Le +Maire, or Christofero Columbo himself." + +"If we take him at his own estimation he is undoubtedly a first-rate +navigator; but you must remember, my dear Count, that it is not always +safe to judge of men by the report they give of themselves; we shall +know more about them at the termination of our voyage than we do at +present," observed the Baron. "However, there is the boat, and he is +making signs to us to follow him." + +The Count and Baron accordingly descended the steps into the galiot's +boat, in the stern of which sat the Captain, his weight lifting the bows +up considerably out of the water. A sailor in a woollen shirt who had +lost one eye, and squinted with the other, and a nose, the ruddy tip of +which seemed anxious to be well acquainted with his chin, sat in the +bows with a pair of sculls in his hand ready to shove off at his +captain's command. + +"Give way," said the skipper, and the one-eyed seaman began to paddle +slowly and deliberately, for the boat was heavily weighted with the +skipper and the Count and Baron in the stern, and as there was no +necessity for haste, greater speed would have been superfluous. + +"Is this the way boats always move over the water?" asked the Count, as +he observed the curious manner in which the bow cocked up. + +"Not unless they have great men in the stern, as my boat has at +present," answered the skipper. + +"Ah, yes, I understand," said the Count, looking very wise. + +The boat was soon alongside the galiot, on board which the skipper +stepped. As soon as he was out of her the bow of the boat came down +with a flop in the water. He then stood ready to receive the Count and +Baron. As he helped them up on deck, he congratulated them on having +thus successfully performed the first part of their voyage. "And now, +Mynheers," he continued, "I must beg you to admire the masts and +rigging, the yellow tint of the sails, the bright polish you can see +around you." + +"You must have expended a large amount of paint and varnish in thus +adorning your vessel," observed the Count. + +"I have done my best to make her worthy of her Captain," answered the +skipper, in a complacent tone, "and worthy, I may add, of conveying such +distinguished passengers as yourselves." + +The Count bowed, and the Baron bowed, as they prepared to follow the +skipper down through a small square hole in the deck with a hatch over +it. + +"Why, this is not as grand as I had expected," observed the Count. "Not +quite a palace, as you described it, Captain." + +"But it is as comfortable as a palace, and I find it far more so in a +heavy sea," observed the skipper. "For you must understand that if the +vessel gives a sudden lurch, it is a great blessing not to be sent fifty +feet away to leeward, which you would be if you were in the room of a +palace. See what comfort we have got here--everything within reach. A +man has only to rise from his chair and tumble into bed, or tumble out +of bed, and sit down in his chair to breakfast. Then, when he dresses +he has only to stretch out his hand to take hold of the things hanging +up against the bulkhead." + +While the skipper was pointing out to his passengers the +super-excellence of the accommodation his vessel afforded, a female +voice was heard exclaiming, in shrill tones-- + +"I must see him, I must see my master, the Count! He has bolted, +decamped, run off without so much as saying why he was going, or where +he was going, or leaving me those full and ample directions which I had +a right to expect." + +"Hark!" exclaimed the Count, turning pale. "That must be Johanna Klack; +if she once sees me, she'll take me back, to a certainty. Oh dear me, +what shall I do?" + +"I know what I will do," cried the Baron, beginning to ascend the +companion-ladder. "Captain Jan Dunck, keep the Count down here below; +don't let him show himself on any account. I will settle the matter. +This female, this termagant, will carry off one of your passengers, and, +as an honest man, you are bound to protect him." + +"Ja, ja," said the Captain; "slip into one of those bunks and you will +be perfectly safe, and if she manages to get down below, my name isn't +Jan Dunck." Saying this, the skipper followed the Baron up on deck, +and, clapping on the hatch, securely bolted it. + +The Baron had grasped a boathook, the skipper seized a broomstick, and +in a loud voice shouted to his crew, "Boarders! repel boarders!" In a +boat alongside stood a female, her countenance flushed and irate, +showing by her actions her intention of climbing up the vessel's side. +The crew obeyed their commander's call, and from the fore hatchway +appeared the small ship's boy, holding a kettle of boiling water in his +hand, while the rest had armed themselves with various weapons. + +"Who are you, and what do you want?" asked Captain Jan Dunck, in a loud +voice. + +"I am that most ill-used person, Johanna Klack, the housekeeper, once +honoured, respected, and trusted, of the noble Count Funnibos, who has +been inveigled away with treachery and guile by that false friend of +his, the Baron Stilkin. I've proof positive of the fact, for as I +hurried along searching for the truants I met a brave mariner, who told +me that he had not only spoken with them, but had seen them go on board +this very vessel, and that, if I did not make haste, I should be too +late to catch them. There's the Baron; I know him well, and I am very +sure that my master is not far off. I must have him, I will have him +back!" and, making a spring, she endeavoured to mount the side of the +vessel. + +"Will you?" exclaimed the skipper, bestowing a rap on her knuckles which +made the poor woman let go her hold of the rigging. + +"Give it her," cried the Baron, lunging at her with his boathook, at +which the small ship's boy rushed forward with the steaming kettle in +his hand. + +The unfortunate Johanna Klack, alarmed at what might be the +consequences, sprang back to the other side of the boat, and, losing her +balance, overboard she went, amid the jeers of the hard-hearted skipper +and crew of the galiot _Golden Hog_. The hapless Vrouw, as she +descended into the far from limpid water, screamed loudly for help, the +waterman who had brought her off being too much astonished at first to +render it. + +"Shove off," cried the skipper, "and hook the woman out of the water, +but do not bring her alongside this vessel again, if you value your +skull." + +The man obeyed, and, stretching out his boathook, got hold of the +Vrouw's garments and hauled her on board. The moment she had recovered +her breath she insisted on being taken back to the galiot; but the old +boatman was suddenly seized with a fit of deafness, and wisely pulled +away in an opposite direction. + +"Take me back! take me back!" cried Johanna Klack. + +"I am rowing as hard as I can," answered the boatman. + +"Take me back to the vessel, on board which my honoured master is a +prisoner," shouted Johanna Klack. + +"We shall soon be at the shore; you can then run home and change your +wet garments," answered the old boatman. + +"I tell you I want to go back to that vessel," cried the housekeeper, +getting more and more angry and excited. + +"Ja, ja, Vrouw; ja, ja, I will land you presently." + +All this time the boatman was observing the threatening gestures of +Captain Jan Dunck and Baron Stilkin. At last he disappeared with his +fare behind a crowd of vessels. + +"Now, Captain," said the Baron, "the sooner we put to sea the better, +for I know Johanna Klack well enough to be certain that, if she does not +come herself, she will send a _posse comitatus_, or a party of +constables, or some other myrmidons of the law to arrest us under some +false accusation or other, and we shall be carried on shore +ignominiously as prisoners, and your voyage will be delayed." + +"Ja, ja, I understand all about that," answered Captain Jan Dunck. "You +boy, with the kettle of boiling water, go and carry it below, and help +to get the galiot under weigh. Mate, turn the hands up and make sail." + +The crew consisted of the mate, the one-eyed mariner, and the small +ship's boy. The mate and the one-eyed mariner were on deck; they had +only to turn up the small ship's boy, who quickly made his appearance on +being summoned, and they set to work to turn round the windlass, which +soon won the anchor from its oozy bed. The sails were set, and as a +light breeze had just then sprung up, the galiot began to move slowly +down the canal towards the open ocean, which was yet, however, a good +way off. As the breeze freshened the galiot moved faster and faster, +and soon the town, with its church steeples and old towers and its crowd +of shipping, was left behind. + +"I think we might venture to let the Count up on deck," observed the +Baron. "He must be pretty well stifled by this time down in the hot +cabin." + +"Ja, ja," answered Captain Dunck; "let him up. No fear of the Vrouw +Klack coming after him now; if she does, we shall see her at a distance, +and make preparations for her reception." + +"But if she comes with a _posse comitatus_" asked the Baron; "what shall +we do then?" + +"Send the _posse comitatus_ about their business," answered Captain +Dunck, flourishing a handspike. "I am skipper of this vessel, and no +one shall step on board without my leave, or if they do I will trundle +them overboard without their leave. Oh, oh, oh; let them just come and +try it." + +On receiving this assurance from Captain Jan Dunck, the Baron, +withdrawing the hatch, called to the Count to come on deck, and enjoy +the fresh air and the beauty of the scenery. As no answer was returned, +the Baron, beginning to feel alarmed, fearing that his friend had been +truly suffocated, descended into the cabin. A loud snore assured him +that the Count was fast asleep, forgetful of his castle, forgetful of +the Vrouw Klack, forgetful where he was, and of all other sublunary +matters. + +"Count Funnibos, come and see the beautiful scenery," shouted the Baron. +Whereon, the Count starting up, hit his head such a blow against the +woodwork close above, that he fell back almost stunned. He, however, +soon recovered, and in a low voice asked the Baron what had happened. + +"The last thing that has happened is that you gave your head a +tremendous thwack," said the Baron; "but my object is to invite you on +deck to enjoy the beautiful scenery we are passing through, before we +put out into the open ocean, when we shall see no more green fields." + +Thus summoned, the Count, getting out of the bunk, accompanied the Baron +on deck. Then taking out his note-book he wrote: "Green fields, green +trees, windmills pretty numerous, cows white and black still more so, +sky and sea as usual, with here and there a vessel or other craft on the +calm surface of the latter." + +"I see nothing more to describe," he said, as he closed the book and +returned it to his pocket. + +Still the galiot glided on. + +"It strikes me that there is some monotony in this kind of scenery," +observed the Count to the Baron; "but it's pleasing, charming, and +soothing to one's troubled soul." + +At last the wind dropped, and the galiot lay becalmed. + +"What are we going to do now?" asked the Count, finding that the vessel +no longer moved through the water. + +"Drop our anchor and wait till the ebb makes again, unless we wish to be +driven up by the flood all the way we have come," observed the skipper. + +"What, and run the risk of meeting Johanna Klack!" exclaimed the Count, +in a voice of alarm. "By all means do come to an anchor, my dear +Captain." + +"That's what I intend to do," he answered; and he ordered the anchor to +be let go. + +Other vessels were in the same condition as themselves, so they had no +reason to complain. The scenery was not particularly enlivening, though +there were a few trees on the shore; but they were generally stunted in +their growth, and bent by the winds. Here and there a small boat +appeared, the occupants being engaged either in fishing, or in rowing +across the river. One or two people were enjoying the luxury of +bathing, and a man came down to fill a jar with salt water, probably to +bathe the limbs of one of his children. + +"How long are we likely to remain here, Captain Jan Dunck?" inquired the +Count. + +"As I said before, and say it again, till the tide turns or the breeze +springs up," answered the skipper. "What a hurry you appear to be in. +The mariners in these seas have to learn patience--a valuable quality +under all circumstances. If we grumbled every time we had a calm, or a +foul wind, or stuck on a mud-bank, we should never cease grumbling." + +"Suppose, Captain, as we have nothing else to do, you or one of your +crew would be good enough to spin us a yarn," said the Count. + +"One-eyed Pieter will spin you a yarn which will last into the middle of +next week," said the skipper. + +"Then I think that he had better not begin," observed the Count; "for I +hope before that time we shall be indulging in fresh milk and eggs on +shore." + +"You do, do you, noble sir?" said the one-eyed mariner, winking at the +mate, or rather intending to do so, for he winked in an opposite +direction, as was his custom, though he was unconscious of it. "We're +not out of the Scheldt yet, and if we don't get a fair wind, it will be +a pretty long time before we reach the Texel and get into the Zuyder +Zee." + +"Ja, ja; one-eyed Pieter speaks but the truth. You must be prepared, +when navigating the changeful ocean, to meet with foul winds as well as +fair ones," said the Captain. "Remember that I undertook only to convey +you to your destination wind and weather permitting. No skipper ever +takes passengers on any other terms." + +"I am prepared for whatever Fate wills," said the Count, folding his +hands. + +"And so am I," said the Baron. "And now I propose, as it is getting +late, and I feel sleepiness stealing over my eyelids, that we turn into +our bunks and resign ourselves to the keeping of the drowsy god." + +"I don't know what you mean by talking of the drowsy god," said the +skipper. "As far as I can make out, you intend to take a snooze; that's +the best thing you can do." + +The Count and the Baron accordingly turned into their berths (not +knocking their heads more than half-a-dozen times as they did so), and +were very soon snoring away in concert. So ended the first day of their +voyages and travels. + + + +CHAPTER THREE. + +"A fair wind, Mynheers! a fair wind!" shouted Captain Jan Dunck down the +cabin skylight. "Rouse up, rouse up; come on deck and see how the +_Golden Hog_ is walking along." + +"Walking along, what does he mean? do ships walk?" asked the Count, as, +having turned out of his bunk and rubbed his eyes and yawned and +stretched himself, he was beginning to dress. + +"I suppose it is a nautical expression describing the rapid way a ship +moves through the water," observed the Baron. "But we will inquire of +the worthy skipper when we get on deck." + +"Yes, and I will enter the expression in my note-book," observed the +Count. + +The travellers were soon on deck. The galiot was gliding rapidly though +smoothly through the somewhat yellow waters of the Scheldt. Land could +be seen on both sides, but at a considerable distance, for it was here +very broad, with villages, towers, curiously-formed landmarks, and here +and there a few trees scattered about, just rising above the surface. + +"We shall soon come off Vlissingen on our right, which the English call +Flushing. It is the last place where, should you be tired of voyaging, +I can land you," said the skipper. "You must make up your mind +therefore at once, as I shall not touch at another till we come off +Brill, at the mouth of the Maas." + +"No, no; the Count and I are determined to continue our voyage," +answered the Baron; who, having discovered that Captain Jan Dunck had a +store of good things on board, had no intention of leaving the vessel, +and therefore did his best to dissuade his friend from setting foot on +shore even when the galiot dropped her anchor off one of the quays of +Flushing. Not far off was a landing-place, and people were hurrying up +and down, and some even came off and endeavoured to persuade the +travellers to come on shore and take up their abode at one of the +hotels, where they were assured every comfort and luxury could be +obtained at the most moderate prices. The Baron, however, declined for +himself and his friend, being somewhat suspicious that, should they +leave the galiot, Captain Jan Dunck might become oblivious of their +existence and sail without them. In a short time the skipper himself +returned, bringing off a quarter of mutton, a round of beef, several +baskets of vegetables, half-a-dozen round, cannon-ball-like cheeses of +ruddy complexion, bread, and other articles capable of supplying the +wants of the inner man. The Baron's eyes glistened, and the Count gazed +with satisfaction at the supply of food handed up on deck. + +"Why, Captain, you seemed anxious just now to induce us to quit your +vessel, and now you bring this magnificent supply of good things," said +the Baron, patting his back. + +"I was anxious to be rid of you," answered the skipper, frankly. +"Judging by the appetite you exhibited at breakfast this morning, you +would have very soon eaten up all the provisions intended for the +voyage; and one of two things I had to do--either to get rid of you and +your companion, or to obtain sufficient food for your nourishment. I +tried the first without success--go you would not, and I have now +therefore been compelled to adopt the other alternative; hence this +stock of provisions. Ja, ja, you understand. But here comes the +breeze, we must not lose it. Up anchor, Pieter!" + +Pieter, the mate, and small ship's boy, went to the windlass, while the +skipper stood at the helm. The galiot was soon got under weigh, and off +she glided, not very fast at first, with her head towards the North Sea. + +In a short time Flushing, with the masts and yards of its shipping, was +lost to sight, and the galiot began ploughing the waters of the North +Sea. Fortunately, the wind being off the land, it was tolerably smooth, +and she glided on without inconveniencing her passengers. + +"What is out there?" asked the Count, pointing across the apparently +boundless waters towards the west. + +"Thereabouts lies that little island I spoke of inhabited by the English +people," answered the skipper. "I hope they may keep to their island, +and not come bothering us as they used to do in days of yore. All we +want now is to be let alone, and to be allowed to carry on our +commercial affairs like peaceable and well-disposed people--to build our +dykes and to cultivate the soil. Think what we have done! We have won +half of our country from the sea, and have converted the other half, +once no better than a marsh, into dry land. Look at our magnificent +towns, our canals, our green fields, our gardens and orchards, and just +think what our industry has accomplished. A Dutchman has a right to be +proud of his country, and so we are, and intend to defend it, as we +always have done, to the last drop of our blood." + +The skipper, who grew enthusiastic, was standing at the helm, and he +puffed away at his pipe till from the clouds of smoke that ascended the +galiot might have been taken at a distance for a steamer. + +"Holland is but a small country, though," observed the Count. + +"Yes, granted; but it has a large soul. Every inch of its soil is +cultivated, or made to produce something. Think of the countless herds +of cattle it feeds, and the mountains of cheeses shipped every year to +all parts of the world, its ingenious toys, its gorgeous tulips, and the +oceans of schiedam it supplies to thirsty souls, not to speak of its +many other manufactures, which you will have the opportunity of +inspecting during your travels. Other people inhabit fertile countries +which they found ready prepared for them, we Hollanders have formed +ours; we have won it after a fierce battle of long years from the greedy +ocean, which is always endeavouring to regain the ground it has lost, +but we keep the ocean in check with our wonderful dykes, and make it +subservient to our requirements. You showed your wisdom, Mynheers, in +determining to visit it before proceeding to other parts of the world. +In my opinion, you'll not wish to go further; it contains amply +sufficient to satisfy the desire of your hearts. Ja, ja." + +Captain Jan Dunck emitted a vast column of smoke, and was silent for +some minutes. He then had to take a pull at the main-sheet, for the +wind was heading the galiot; he took another and another, and his +countenance wore a less satisfactory aspect than it had done lately. +The galiot began to pitch, for the seas were getting up, while she +heeled over as much as galiots ever do, they being sturdy craft, loving +upright ways and sailing best before the wind. If the skipper looked +dissatisfied, his passengers were evidently much more so; their visages +grew longer and longer, their eyes assumed a fleshy hue, their lips +curled, and it needed no experienced physiognomist to pronounce them +unhappy; conversation ceased, they spoke only in ejaculations such as +"Oh! oh! oh! Oh dear! oh dear! oh dear!" + +At last the Baron managed to say, "Ca-a-a-p-tain, i-i-i-i-sn't there a +harbour into which we can put till this storm is over?" + +"Storm, do you call it," laughed the skipper. "It is only a head wind, +and we shall have to stand out to the eastward into the North Sea for a +few leagues or so, till we can fetch the Texel." + +"Oh dear! oh dear! into the North Sea, did you say?" cried the Count. +"How dreadful!" + +"Horrible!" exclaimed the Baron. + +"Detestable!" cried the Count. + +"Well, Mynheers, to please you, remember, seeing that the galiot is +likely to make as much leeway as she does headway, we will put into +Brill, a town just now on our starboard hand, a short distance up the +Maas. Hands about ship!" + +The mate, the one-eyed mariner, and the small ship's boy started up at +their Captain's call. The helm was put down, the jib-sheet let fly, and +the galiot, after exhibiting some doubt as to whether she would do as +was wished, came slowly round, her head pointing to the eastward. + +"Why, what has become of the wind?" asked the Count, his visage +brightening. + +"The sea is much more quiet than it was, because we have just got under +the land. See that bank away to windward, that keeps it off us. We +shall soon be running up the Maas." + +In a few minutes the water became perfectly smooth, the Count and Baron +recovered their spirits, and in a short time they arrived off a seaport +town on the right bank of the Maas. + +"There's nothing very grand to boast of," observed the Count, as he +surveyed it through his binoculars. + +"It has a history, notwithstanding," observed the skipper. "It was here +the first successful blow was struck for liberty, by those daring +fellows `The Beggars of the Sea,' under their gallant leader De la +Marck. It is a town of pilots and fishermen, and as brave sailors as +ever explored the ocean. Here, also, were born our gallant admirals Van +Tromp and De Witt, and its harbour is as fine a one as any along the +coast. Say what you like, Mynheers, Brill has as good a right to be +proud of itself as many a place with greater pretensions. Do you feel +disposed to go on shore and survey its advantages?" + +"Thank you," said the Baron, "taking all things into consideration, we +will remain where we are; dinner will soon be ready, I think; our +appetites are wonderfully sharpened by the sea air, and, remembering the +store of provender you brought on board, it would be a bad compliment to +you not to stay and help you consume it." + +"Ja, ja," said the skipper, "do as you please, I am happy to have your +company." + +The Baron, at all events, did ample justice to the skipper's dinner, and +all three spent the remainder of the day on deck, puffing away with +their long pipes in their mouths, till it was difficult to say whether +they or the galley fire forward sent forth the thickest wreaths. +Notwithstanding this, the Baron declared that he was perfectly ready for +supper at the usual hour, after which the two passengers turned into +their berths and went to sleep. They were awakened by finding the +vessel once more pitching and tumbling about, and, thinking that +something was about to happen, they crawled up on deck. + +"What's the matter, Captain," exclaimed the Count, in an agitated voice; +"is there any danger?" + +"No, but there's no small amount of fear among some of us," answered the +skipper in a gruff voice. "We have got a fair wind, and are once more +at sea." + +"What is that bright spot up there," asked the Count, pointing to a +light which streamed forth on the right hand. + +"That, why that's the Maas Lighthouse," answered the skipper. "It marks +the entrance to the river, and we shall soon round it, and be in the +open sea. You'll then have the satisfaction of once more bounding over +the heaving wave." + +"From previous experience I must own that I would rather escape that +satisfaction," observed the Count, making a long face. "Couldn't we +manage to make our way through some of the numerous canals which I have +heard intersect Holland in all directions?" + +"We should have been a week or two, or even a month about it, if we had +made the attempt," answered the skipper. "We cannot tack in the canals +as we can in the open sea. Now we can stretch away from the land as far +as we like and then go about again, till we can head up again for the +Helder." + +"Oh dear, oh dear, I suppose we must submit to our fate," groaned the +Count. "Baron, you have much to answer for, dragging me away from my +castle and home comforts and the watchful care of that estimable person +Johanna Klack." + +"Why, you were in a great hurry to escape from her not long ago," +answered the Baron, "and now you find fault with me because the sea +happens to be a little rough." + +"When I wanted to escape from Johanna Klack we were in smooth water, and +I would rather endure the clatter of her tongue than the roaring waves +and the howling of the winds." + +"It is too late to complain now, Count; regrets are vain things at the +best," said the Baron. "Let us be content with the present; see, we're +getting close to the lighthouse." + +"So we are, I can distinguish it clearly," said the Count. "And, +hilloa, look up there at those gnats or moths, or what are they, +fluttering about the light?" + +"Ha, ha, ha! moths or gnats," laughed the skipper; "why those are birds, +sea-birds and land birds of all descriptions, who come there for the +charitable purpose of being turned into pies and puddings and stews by +the light-keepers. All the keepers have to do is to go out and catch +them by their legs as they alight on the rails and wring their necks. +Our friends up there need have no fear of starving; when the wind blows +from the land they get land birds, and when from the ocean sea-birds, +and as they are nowise particular--not objecting to the fishy flavour of +the wild fowl--their pots and kettles are sure to be well supplied." + +"Under those circumstances I should not object to be a light-keeper," +observed the Baron. "The household expenses must be small, as they have +no butcher's bills to pay or taxes either." + +"It is a somewhat solitary life," said the skipper. "Each man to his +taste, I prefer sailing over the free ocean, with my stout galiot under +my feet and plenty of sea room." + +"Couldn't we stop and get some of the birds?" asked the Baron, who from +habit was constantly thinking of the best way to supply his larder. +"They would be a welcome addition to our sea-stock of provisions." + +"The lighthouse-men would consider that we were poaching on their +preserves," said the skipper; "besides which, if we were to go nearer +than we now are, we should run the galiot ashore. See, we are already +leaving the lighthouse astern, and are now clear of the river." + +"So I perceive," groaned the Count, as the vessel had heeled over and +began to pitch and tumble. + +"Never fear, Count," said the skipper, in an encouraging tone; "we shall +soon be going free, and the galiot will then only roll pleasantly from +side to side, and assist to rock you to sleep when you turn in your +bunk." + +"I'd rather not be rocked to sleep in that fashion," said the Count. +"Ever since I was a baby I have been able to sleep perfectly well in my +bed or arm-chair after dinner without being rocked. Couldn't you manage +to keep the galiot quiet, just to please me?" + +"I could not keep her quiet to please the King of the Netherlands, or +the Burgomaster of Amsterdam or Rotterdam; no, not if you paid ten times +the sum you have for your passage-money," answered the skipper, in a +gruff tone. + +"Then I suppose that I must submit to my hard fate," groaned the Count. +"Though I do wish--I cannot help wishing--that I had not come to sea; +and I here register the firm resolution I now form, that of my own free +will I will never--when once I set foot on shore--venture again on the +stormy ocean." + +"Then I must observe, my dear Count, that we shall never manage to get +round the world, as you led me to suppose, when we started on our +travels, it was your desire to do," observed the Baron. + +"Yes, but I did not take into consideration that we should have to +encounter so rough, ill-mannered, and boisterous a sea, and such howling +winds," answered the Count. "I had bargained to find the water as +smooth as the Scheldt, and I still should have no hesitation about going +round the world, providing you can guarantee that the ocean will keep +perfectly quiet till we come back again." + +"As to that, I will guarantee that as far as my influence extends it +shall remain as calm as a mill-pond," said the Baron, in a confident +tone. "Will that satisfy you, Count? If so, notwithstanding your +unjust complaints, we will continue our travels." + +"Perfectly, perfectly," said the Count. "I always take your word for +what it is worth." + +"Ho! ho!" laughed the skipper, who overheard the conversation. "Look +out there, Pieter. Are you keeping your weather eye open?" he shouted +to the one-eyed mariner who was forward. + +"Ja, ja, Captain; there's a fleet of fishing boats ahead, we must keep +to the eastward of them. Port the helm a little." + +Presently the Count and the Baron heard the tinkling of bells, and as +they looked over the side of the vessel the Count exclaimed, "What are +those Will-o'-the-Wisps dancing away there?" + +"Ho! ho! ho!" laughed the skipper. "Those are the lights from fishing +boats. We shall see them more clearly presently." + +As the galiot sailed on, the Count and Baron observed that the lights +proceeded from lanterns hung up in the rigging, and that some vessels +had huge beams with black nets attached to them which they had just +hoisted up out of the water, and that the crews were turning out the +fish caught in the pockets of the nets. Others, under easy sail, were +gliding on slowly with stout ropes towing astern. + +"They are trawlers catching turbot, brill, plaice, and other flat fish," +observed the skipper. "Our country has numberless advantages; we make +as much use of the sea as many other nations do of the land, though, as +I before said, we are carrying on a constant warfare with it, trying to +turn it away from its ancient boundaries, and doing our best to keep it +from encroaching on the soil we have once gained. Holland would never +have become what she is, unless Dutchmen had been imbued with a large +quantity of those valuable qualities, patience and perseverance." + +"Ah, you Dutchmen are indeed a wonderful people," exclaimed the Count. +"I am very glad that we thought of visiting your country before +proceeding to other parts of the world. At the same time, if we had +gone by land we should certainly have seen more of it than we are likely +to do now." + +"Wait till daylight," said the skipper, "and then you shall see what you +shall see. I would advise you to go below and obtain some sleep, as at +present, I will allow, the landscape is somewhat limited." + +"You are right; the chief objects we can distinguish are the tip of your +nose and Pieter's one eye, which I see blinking away when the light of +the binnacle lamp falls on it," observed the Baron. "We will follow +your advice," and he descended the companion-ladder. + +The Count also commenced his descent into the cabin, but just before his +head disappeared, he said: "You will oblige me greatly, Captain, by +keeping the vessel as steady as you can; I find it very inconvenient to +be tumbled and tossed about in the way we have been since we left the +Maas." + +"Ja, ja," answered the skipper, with a broad grin on his countenance, +which, being dark, the Count did not observe. + + + +CHAPTER FOUR. + +"Come on deck, Mynheers! come on deck!" cried the skipper, calling down +the skylight. "The sun will soon rise, you can enjoy a sight of the +land." + +The Count and the Baron were soon dressed, and made their appearance on +deck. + +"There's the land, Mynheers, and you will soon see the sun rising from +behind it," said the skipper, pointing with no little pride in his +countenance to a long unbroken line of shore rising not many feet above +the level of the ocean, with here and there a windmill towering above +it; its arms just beginning to revolve as the morning breezes filled its +sails. "There is Holland; look and admire." + +While he was speaking, the sun, throwing a ruddy light on the dancing +waves, rose behind the long line of coast and its countless windmills. +The wind was fair, and the vessel was still steering northward. + +"How soon are we likely to get into the Zuyder Zee?" asked the Count. + +"That depends on the continuance of the breeze," answered the skipper. +"If it blows fair for a few hours more, we shall be up to the Helder +before noon; but if it shifts ahead, or a calm comes on, I shall have +the pleasure of your company for some time longer." + +"With due respect to you, Captain Jan Dunck, I sincerely hope that the +breeze will continue fair," said the Count, making a polite bow, as he +had no wish to offend the skipper, but felt constrained to speak the +truth. "It is not of you or your galiot that I'm tired, but of this +fidgetty sea which rolls and tumbles her about so thoughtlessly, to say +the best of it." + +"But are you aware, Count," said the skipper, "that the Zuyder Zee can +roll and tumble in no gentle fashion? For your sakes it is to be hoped +that we shall not have a storm till you land safely in Amsterdam." + +"Then I sincerely pray that the winds may be in a gentle mood," said the +Count. + +"And in the meantime, Captain Jan Dunck, I propose that we go down to +breakfast," said the Baron, who had showed signs of impatience for some +time past. + +The Count and the Baron and the skipper sat down to breakfast. The two +latter did ample justice to the good things placed before them; but the +Count, after several heroic attempts to swallow a big sausage, had to +confess that his appetite had vanished, and that he thought that the +fresh air on deck would restore it. He there found the one-eyed mariner +steering. + +"Oh tell me, brave sailor, when are we likely to get to the Helder?" he +asked in a tone which showed that he was but ill at ease. + +"If you open your eyes wide enough, you will see it right ahead," +answered the one-eyed mariner. "That point of land out there, that's +the Helder; we shall sail close to it, if the wind holds fair, and the +tide does not sweep us out again. There's water enough there to float a +seventy-four. On the other side is the island of Texel, and a very fine +island it is for sheep; many thousands live on it; and if you wish to +taste something excellent, I would advise you to obtain one of the green +cheeses which are made from the milk of the sheep living on the island." + +"I will tell the Baron, who thinks more of eating than I do," answered +the Count. "But is that actually the Helder I see before me?" + +"I told you it was," answered the one-eyed mariner, in a gruff tone, as +if he did not like to have his word doubted. + +This was indeed joyful news to the Count, who already began to feel his +appetite returning; and he could not resist the temptation of shouting +through the skylight to the Baron, inviting him to come up and see the +place. + +"Sit quiet till you have finished your breakfast, there will be time +enough then, and to spare," observed the skipper, who knew very well +that the tide was running out, and that the galiot could not stem it for +some time to come. + +In half-an-hour after this the galiot began to move ahead, and arrived +off a huge sea wall, two hundred feet from the foundation to the summit, +and built of Norwegian granite, a work constructed to protect the land +from the encroachments of the ocean. Beyond it could be seen the tops +of the houses and the steeples of a large town. Sailing on, the galiot +came off the town of Nieuwe Diep, and the tall masts and yards of a +number of large ships could be distinguished in the Royal Dockyard +inside the bank. + +"We Dutchmen are proud of this place," observed the skipper. "Two +hundred years ago a fierce naval battle was fought off here between the +English and French, and our brave Admirals De Ruyter and Van Tromp, who +gained the victory." + +After the galiot had passed Nieuwe Diep the wind shifted to the +northward, and she ran on rapidly in smooth water till she came off +Enkhuisen. Bounding that point she reached Hoorn, off which she brought +up. + +"The place is worth seeing," observed the skipper; "and you may spend an +hour or two on shore while I transact some business. You will remember +that it was once the capital of North Holland, but it is now what some +people call a dead city, and you will acknowledge that it is very far +from being a lively one; however, it has something to boast of. It was +here that Captain Schouten was born--he who sailed with Le Maire and +discovered the southern end of America, to which he, in consequence, +gave the name of his birthplace. You have heard of Cape Horn, I +suppose." + +"Oh, yes; as to that, the Baron knows all about it," said the Count. +"We will follow your advice, Captain, and will be down on the quay again +within the time you mention." + +"Well, this is a dead city," said the Baron, as he and the Count walked +through its ancient streets. "Everything about it seems to indicate +that if it ever were alive it must have been a long time ago. What +curious old houses, how quaint in form; many of them also are decorated +with sculpture of all sorts, and, on my word, excessively well executed +too." + +"I should be very unwilling to pass many days here," remarked the Count, +as passing along street after street they scarcely met a creature, +quadruped or biped. The houses seemed untenanted--not a voice, not a +sound was heard; yet they were all clean, in good preservation, and well +painted, mostly of a yellow colour with red roofs, many of them with +gable ends, one story being smaller than the other, so that towards the +summit they presented an outline of steps. There were also numerous +gateways, some handsomely carved, but they led nowhere, and indeed no +one was seen to go in or out at them. + +"I cannot stand this," said the Count. "Let us go back to the port." +Here a certain amount of trade was going on. Hoorn is engaged largely +in the curing of herrings; some vessels also were building, and it was +evident from the number of cheeses stacked up ready for exportation that +it must carry on a considerable commerce in that article. Floors above +floors were piled with round red cannon-balls, emitting an odour +powerful if not pleasant. + +"After all, Hoorn is not so dead as I supposed," observed the Baron. + +Finding the skipper they embarked. + +"You intend, I hope, to land us at Amsterdam to-night," said the Count +to the skipper. + +"Don't think there's the slightest chance of it," was the answer. "The +wind has fallen, it will be stark calm in a few minutes; for what I can +see it will be a calm all the night through and to-morrow also." + +"Then I propose that we go to dinner," said the Baron. "I hope that it +will be ready soon." + +"Dinner is it you want?" exclaimed the skipper. "What, did you not dine +at Hoorn?" + +"Certainly not," said the Baron. "We were employed in seeing the town. +We fully expected that you would have had dinner ready on our return on +board. What has become of all the provisions you shipped, may I ask?" + +"I landed them at Hoorn, where I took my own dinner," answered the +skipper. "You must manage to rough it on bread and cheese. There's not +much bread, but you may eat as much cheese as you like." + +"This is abominable treatment, Captain Jan Dunck," exclaimed the Baron. +"I insist that you obtain provisions at the first place you can reach, +or else that you land us where we can obtain them. I am sure the Count +agrees with me." + +"Ho, ho, ho!" laughed the skipper. "Who do you think is master of this +ship? Did you ever hear the old song? + + "Mynheer Jan Dunck, + Though he never got drunk, + Sipped brandy and water gaily; + He quenched his thirst + With a quart of the first, + And a pint of the latter daily. + +"That's just what I have been doing, although I'm as sober as a judge. +I am ready for anything. You want to be landed, do you? Suppose I put +you on shore on the island of Marken? It is not far off, and my boat +will carry you there. What then will you say for yourselves? It is +your own doing, remember." + +"This treatment is abominable," exclaimed the Baron. "I appeal to your +crew for their assistance, and ask them if they will stand by and see +your passengers insulted in this fashion." + +"Ho, ho, ho!" laughed the skipper. "Hoist the boat out. We will soon +see if my crew dare to disobey me. Pieter, there, be smart about it." + +The one-eyed mariner started up and eyed the Count and the Baron with +his single blinker, making a grimace as much as to say he could not help +it. He and the mate and the small ship's boy soon got the boat into the +water. + +"Step in," cried the skipper. "You said you wanted to be put on shore, +and I am going to put you on shore. Pieter, you're to row. If you want +your dinners you'll embark, if not you'll go without them." + +"And are you going too, Captain Jan Dunck?" asked the Baron. + +"Certainly, it is my intention," answered the skipper, and the Count and +the Baron, with their valises, got into the boat. + +"Look after the vessel," shouted the skipper to the mate and small +ship's boy, as he stepped into the boat and seated himself in the stern +sheets, with the Count on one side and the Baron on the other and Pieter +pulling. As there was not a breath of wind the water was perfectly +smooth. The Baron's hunger increased, the Count also had regained his +appetite, and they were eager to reach the shore in the hopes of getting +a dinner. The skipper said nothing, but looked very glum. At last the +island appeared ahead, with a few huts on it and a tiny church in the +midst, but it was green and pleasant to look at. + +"That does not look like a place where we can get dinner," observed the +Baron, eyeing it doubtfully. + +"And he does not intend to give you any dinner either," whispered the +one-eyed mariner, whose good-will the Count and Baron had evidently won. +"Take my advice, tell him to go up and obtain provisions, and say that +you will eat them on board." + +"What's that your talking about?" exclaimed the skipper. "Silence +there, forward!" + +The one-eyed mariner rowed slower and slower, and managed to carry on +the conversation alternately with the Count and the Baron. Suddenly the +skipper, who had been partly dozing, though he had managed to steer the +boat, aroused himself. "Pull faster, Pieter," he shouted out: "I have +heard what you have been talking about, and will pay you off." + +"I was merely giving the gentlemen good advice, Captain," answered +Pieter. "And there's one thing I have to say to you; if you can get +provisions at Marken, you had better do so in a hurry, for there's a +storm brewing, and it will be upon us before long. The mate and the boy +won't be able to manage the galiot alone, and she to a certainty will be +wrecked." + +"A storm brewing, is there?" cried the Captain. "Well, then, the sooner +we land at Marken the better. Pull away, Pieter, pull away." + +Pieter did pull, and in a short time the beach was reached. An old +fisherman, with a pipe in his mouth and a red cap on his head, came down +to see what the strangers wanted, as the Count and Baron stepped on +shore. + +"Friend," exclaimed the Baron, "can you tell us where a good dinner is +to be obtained in a hurry, for we are famishing." + +"A good dinner can undoubtedly be obtained in Marken," answered the +ancient fisherman with the red nightcap on his head; "but we are not +accustomed to do things in a hurry in our island. Poultry have to be +caught and their necks wrung, and the sheep have to be slaughtered and +skinned and cut up, potatoes have to be dug, and the other vegetables +gathered, the bread has to be made; but we have cheese, and you can eat +as much of that as you like." + +"Plenty of cheese on board, we do not come on shore to obtain it!" +exclaimed the Baron. "Captain Jan Dunck, you have grossly deceived us; +you brought us onshore with the expectation of speedily obtaining a good +dinner." + +"Ho, ho, ho!" laughed the skipper. "I said nothing of the sort; I +undertook to land you, if you no longer wished to remain on board." + +"But you led us to suppose that you intended to go yourself and obtain a +fresh supply of provisions at Marken," said the Baron with emphasis; +"and that is what we expected you to do." + +"Then, Baron Stilkin, you are very much mistaken," answered the skipper. +"You left my vessel of your own free will, and you have landed on this +island of your own free will. I have fulfilled my engagement; if you +want a dinner you must go and find it as best you can. I heard what +Pieter was saying to you, and I intend to pay him off. Take up your +portmanteaus, unless the old fisherman will carry them for you, and go +your way; the storm, as Pieter observed, will be down upon us before +long, and I must put off and return to the galiot." + +"I again say that you are treating us shamefully!" exclaimed the Baron. +"Pieter, my brave friend, will you stand by us?" + +"Ja, ja, that I will," answered Pieter, who had stepped out of the boat. +"If the Captain likes to go off, he may go by himself." + +The discussion had been going on for some time when Pieter said this. +Not only had the wind risen, but the rain had begun to fall, and the +Count and Baron were preparing to put up their umbrellas. + +"It is very fortunate we brought them," observed the Count. "Baron, +your advice was sound when you suggested that we should do so." + +Meantime the skipper had been getting his boat ready; he had stepped the +mast, and hoisted the sail. + +"Pieter!" he exclaimed, "I want to say something to you." + +"What is it, Captain?" asked the one-eyed mariner, cautiously drawing +near. + +"Why, this!" cried the skipper. "That you are a treacherous old rascal, +and that I intend to pay you off." + +As he spoke he hove a noose at the end of a rope over Pieter's body, and +before the one-eyed mariner was aware of what was going to happen, he +was dragged off his feet into the water, while the skipper, hauling aft +the main-sheet, sailed away, dragging poor Pieter through the foaming +waters astern. In his struggles Pieter had moved the rope up to his +neck, and was now in danger of being throttled. + +"Stop, stop!" shouted the Count and the Baron in chorus. "Let that man +go! What are you about to do with him? You'll throttle him, or drag +off his head, or drown him--you'll be guilty of murder. We'll report +your conduct to the Burgomaster of Amsterdam, and all the other +authorities of Holland. Release him, let him go!" + +Captain Jan Dunck, who never looked back towards his victim, +disregarding their threats and their cries sailed on, till he and his +boat and the hapless Pieter disappeared amid the thick sheets of rain +and the driving spray which surrounded them. + + + +CHAPTER FIVE. + +"Is there no chance for poor Pieter?" asked the Count, looking in the +direction Captain Jan Dunck, his boat, and his unfortunate victim had +gone. + +"None, unless the skipper relents and drags him on board; and then I +don't think it likely that they will be on the best of terms," answered +the Baron. + +"Do Dutch skippers generally treat their crews in the way Captain Jan +Dunck has treated poor Pieter?" asked the Count of the ancient +fisherman. + +"It depends very much on the amount of schiedam they have taken aboard," +answered the ancient fisherman. "We of Marken do not behave in that +fashion." + +"I am very glad to hear it," said the Count, "as there seems a +probability, till the storm is over, of our having to spend some time +with you; if you were to do anything of the sort, we should undoubtedly +report your conduct to the Burgomaster of Amsterdam, as we intend to +report the conduct of Captain Jan Dunck, when we get there. And now, +Baron, since it seems to be all up with the one-eyed mariner, and as at +present we can do nothing to punish the perpetrator of the cruel deed, +what shall we do with ourselves?" + +"I propose that we request this ancient fisherman to conduct us to some +hostelry, where we can obtain those creature comforts which we so much +need, and wait in quiet and security till the storm is over. Worthy +friend," he continued, turning to the ancient fisherman, "I beg that you +will have the goodness to conduct us to some inn, where we may obtain a +dinner and rest after our adventures on the stormy ocean." + +"An inn," ejaculated the ancient fisherman. "We have no inns in Marken, +as few travellers are in the habit of visiting us. If, however, you +will accept such hospitality as I can offer, you shall be welcome to +it." + +"With all our hearts," answered the Count and the Baron in chorus, and +they followed the ancient fisherman, who led the way into the interior +of the island. After passing through several narrow and dirty lanes +they emerged into a more open space, where they found themselves +surrounded by neat cottages, among which a number of people were moving +about. + +The men were all dressed as sailors--a brown knitted waistcoat and wide +knickerbockers tied at the knees, thick black or blue woollen stockings, +and wooden sabots or shoes, These sabots, the Count and the Baron +observed, were taken off when the men entered a hut, so that it could be +known how many people were inside by the number of sabots at the door. +The women wore brown or chintz waistcoats, and short dark petticoats; +many of them had their hair hanging down on either side of the face in +long thick curls; their head-dresses were high white caps rounded at the +summit and lined with some coloured material. + +"Here is my house," said the ancient fisherman, opening the door of one +of the neatest cottages in the place, "and there is my vrouw." + +As he spoke an old lady got up and welcomed the travellers. She wore +the dress which has been described, especially clean and picturesque, +and in addition several gold ornaments. The cottage contained many +marks of thrift; two carved oaken wardrobes stood one on either side, +there was a clock of elaborate workmanship, and china plates of a +curious pattern. A cheerful fire burned on the hearth, and the ancient +fisherman's wife soon busied herself with her highly-polished pots and +pans in preparing a meal, the very odour of which made the Baron's mouth +water. Freshly-caught fish and a stew with potatoes and vegetables were +quickly ready, and the Baron did ample justice to each dish placed on +the table. The ancient fisherman informed them that the population of +the island was about nine hundred; the men are all fishers, and pass the +greater portion of their days on the water. On Sunday night, or rather +as soon as Monday is commenced, the whole population go down to the +port; the men embark in their boats, put to sea, and pass the week in +fishing. The women return to their daily avocations till another +Saturday afternoon comes round, when the men return home for their day +of rest. + +"Month after month, and year after year, we live the same style of life; +the world wags on around us, but we hear little or nothing of its +doings. We are contented and happy in our way, and wouldn't change our +island of Marken for any part of the Netherlands, or the whole of Europe +to boot," said the ancient fisherman. + +"I am much inclined to stop among you," observed the Count. "Only I +should not like to have to go out fishing every day, especially in cold +and wintry weather; but to sit here, for instance, with one's feet +before the fire, is very pleasant." + +The ancient fisherman laughed. "You must remember, Mynheer, that in +order to obtain these comforts, my father and I have toiled on year +after year, each adding a little; this cottage and what it contains, +represents the labour, I may say, of centuries. Few things worth having +are to be obtained without working. I can enjoy my ease and these +comforts with a clear conscience, for I have laboured on for fifty years +or more, adding to the store my father left me, and he laboured for more +than fifty years, and my grandfather before him." + +"What examples you and your family are of patience and perseverance," +observed the Count. + +"No, Mynheer, nothing wonderful," answered the ancient fisherman, in a +modest tone. "All the inhabitants of our part of the town have done +much the same, and we bring up our children in the hope that they will +follow our example. This, Mynheer, is the secret of our contentment and +prosperity." + +"Then, when I marry and have children, I must bring them up to follow my +example, and the same result will, I hope, follow," said the Count. + +"That depends upon the example you set them," answered the ancient +fisherman. + +"Ah, yes; I must see about it, then," said the Count. "I don't know +that as yet I have ever done anything very industrious. Perhaps, like +me, they will become great travellers." + +"Perhaps, my dear Count, the less you say about it the better, at +present," observed the Baron. "We have not proceeded very far on our +voyage round the world. In the meantime, I will thank our hostess for +another cup of her excellent tea." + +As there seemed no probability of the storm abating, the Count and the +Baron accepted the invitation given them by the ancient fisherman and +his dame, to spend the night in their cottage. They had no beds to +offer, but they had comfortable arm-chairs, pipes, tobacco, and a +blazing fire. + +"We might be worse off," observed the Baron, as he extended his legs and +folded his arms to sleep. + +It being impossible to reach the mainland without a boat, the Baron +suggested, that after their experience, it would be safer to have one of +their own than to entrust themselves again to strangers, and the Count +agreeing, they settled to buy one. The next morning, therefore, after +breakfast, having wished their ancient host and hostess farewell, and +the Count having slipped a coin into the hand of the latter as a +remembrance, they purchased a boat, which the ancient fisherman +recommended, and helped them to launch: they then together set forth to +prosecute their travels. + +Neither of them were very expert navigators, though the ancient +fisherman gave them a shove off to assist them in their progress, which +was remarkably slow. Sometimes they rowed one way, and sometimes +another, and the boat consequently went round and round. + +"You pull too hard," cried the Count. + +"You don't pull hard enough," answered the Baron. "That is the reason +we don't go as straight as we should." + +"Then perhaps if you take the two oars we shall go straighter," said the +Count. + +To this the Baron objected, as he had no desire to undertake all the +labour of the voyage. Somehow or other they managed, notwithstanding, +to get to a distance from Marken: perhaps the tide was carrying them +along in the direction of the Helder; that this was the case, however, +did not occur to them. They saw the land clearly enough stretching out +to the westward: there lay Monnickendam, there Edam, and, further to the +south, Uitdam. "Experience makes perfect:" after some time they did +manage to row in a fashion. + +"I think we must be approaching the shore," observed the Count. "It +looks nearer than it did." + +"So it ought, since we have been rowing with might and main for the last +two hours," said the Baron, wiping the perspiration from his brow. "I +wish that we had waited at Marken till we should have found a passage on +board some vessel, or obtained the assistance of one of the islanders; +this is heavy work, especially as we have come away without provisions." + +"So we have," cried the Count. "Oh dear! oh dear! If we ever reach the +shore, I shall be very much inclined to register a vow never again to +tempt the stormy ocean." + +"Regrets are useless at present; let us get to the shore," said the +Baron. + +But they rowed and rowed away in vain. Evening was approaching, and, +though they had enjoyed a good breakfast, they were desperately hungry, +and there appeared every probability that they would have to spend the +night on the water. Fortunately it was calm, or they would have been in +a still worse condition. Looking up, they at length saw an island, or a +point of land with a tower on it. + +"That must be one of the places on the coast," observed the Count; "let +us try to reach it." + +"But if we sit with our backs to the bows, as we have been hitherto +doing, we shall not see it," observed the Baron. "Let us stand up and +row forward; then, perhaps, we shall go straighter than we have been +doing." + +The Count agreed, and they rowed thus for some time. + +Suddenly they were startled by a voice which in mournful accents said: +"Oh, take me on board; take me on board!" + +So great was the Baron's alarm that he nearly sank down to the bottom of +the boat, when on looking over his shoulder, what should he see but the +countenance of the one-eyed mariner, who was endeavouring to haul +himself on board. + +"Are you yourself, or are you a ghost?" asked the Baron, in trembling +accents. + +"Can it be? Can it be our former shipmate?" cried the Count. + +"I am indeed, most noble gentlemen, that unfortunate and ill-used +individual," answered the one-eyed mariner; for it was he himself, +though his countenance was as pale as if he had really been a ghost, and +his visage was elongated, the result of the sufferings he had gone +through. Satisfied that he was a mortal being like themselves, the +Count and the Baron at length assisted him to get into the boat. + +"How did you escape?" asked the Baron eagerly. + +"By a wonderful circumstance," answered the one-eyed mariner. "I +managed to get my hands free, and slipped my neck out of the noose, just +as I was on the point of being strangled. I held on to the boat, +however, and allowed myself to be dragged along at the stern. I knew +that if I had attempted to get in Captain Jan Dunck would very soon have +quieted me by a blow on my crown. At length I saw that we were passing +yonder island, and, silently letting go the rope, I swam towards it; +while he, unconscious of my escape, sailed on. I there landed, but it +is a barren spot, where neither food nor fresh water is to be obtained. +I thought that I should have perished; for after the strain on my throat +I felt dreadfully thirsty, and capable of drinking up the Zuyder Zee +itself, if it had been fresh water mixed with a due allowance of +schiedam. At length I observed your boat, noble gentlemen, drifting by; +I cannot compliment you by saying you were rowing, for you were going +round and round in all directions. I guessed that you were +land-lubbers--excuse my frankness--and that I might render you +assistance in return for the service you would do me by enabling me to +reach the shore. Not till you spoke, however, did I recognise you as my +late shipmates, and now Mynheers, the best thing you can do is to let me +take the oars and row steadily to the land; for, though hungry and +thirsty, I have still some strength left in my battered frame." + +"By all means, worthy mariner, take the oars," said the Baron, handing +his to the sailor, while the Count followed his example. "We are +ourselves nearly starving, and will promise you the best supper to be +obtained wherever we may land, should we be fortunate enough to reach +some hospitable part of the globe." + +The one-eyed mariner took the oars, and bending lustily to them, made +the boat move along very much faster than she had done since the Count +and the Baron had commenced their voyage. + +"I was inclined, when we were rowing, to suppose that she was among the +slowest that ever floated, or that there was something the matter with +the oars," observed the Count. + +"People are very apt to find fault with the tools they employ, instead +of laying the blame on themselves," remarked the Baron, sententiously. + +The one-eyed mariner cocked his one eye, as much as to say, "You are +right, gentlemen;" but without speaking he rowed and rowed, now bending +forward, now leaning back with all his might, every now and then looking +over his shoulder to see that they were going in the right direction. +It was getting darker and darker, and no friendly lights beamed forth +from cottages or houses to indicate that they were approaching the +inhabited part of the country. + +"Shall we soon reach the shore," asked the Baron, with a groan; "I am +getting desperately hungry." + +"We shall not get there the sooner by talking about it," answered the +one-eyed mariner, who was beginning to lose his temper as he became more +and more fatigued. "If you, Mynheers, had learned to row, you might +have relieved me for a short time, till I had recovered my strength; but +as we should never get there if I gave you up the oars, I must keep at +it; only do not be continually asking me when we shall get there. I +tell you we shall get there, wherever that may be, some time or other, +if I keep rowing long enough." + +After this remark, the Count and the Baron thought it prudent to say +nothing more to the one-eyed mariner. He rowed and he rowed. The land +became more distinct, but no lights indicated the cheerful habitations +of men. The Baron groaned, for he saw no prospect of obtaining a +supper, yet it was better to be on dry land than in a small boat on the +Zuyder Zee, with an individual of so uncertain a temper as the one-eyed +mariner. At length they found themselves with banks on either side. + +"I thought so," said the one-eyed mariner, "we have reached the +neighbourhood of Yollendam; this must be the Yoll--a better landfall +than I expected. I do not know that provisions are to be obtained at +the village, which is a mile or so off; but we will see." And he rowed +up the river, which had a more attractive appearance than might have +been expected, for there was a small island covered with trees, and a +mound several feet high on the opposite side, on which the eye could +rest with pleasure. Before they had gone far the moon burst forth from +behind some clouds, and shed along the waters of the stream its silvery +light, which showed them a small vessel drawn up on the shore, and two +or three people near her. + +"Perhaps these persons have provisions on board," exclaimed the Baron. +"I could sup off a dry crust of bread and a piece of Dutch cheese with +greatest willingness in the world. We will ask those strangers if they +will kindly relieve our necessities. Brave sailor, good Pieter, old and +worthy shipmate, have the goodness to pull in for the shore, and we will +throw ourselves on the charity of those strangers." + +The one-eyed mariner gave a grunt, as if he valued but little the +compliments paid him; but he obeyed, notwithstanding, and the boat soon +reached the shore. The Baron and the Count then scrambled out, and made +their way to where the crew of the vessel were seated. + +"Worthy mariners," began the Baron, in his usual style; "we are +shipwrecked individuals, or rather, I should say, we have just come a +long and perilous voyage in yonder small boat, without food or liquid +with which to renew our strength, and we are well-nigh starving. We ask +you forthwith to supply our necessities." + +"What's the stout gentleman talking about?" asked one of the sailors of +his companion. "I cannot make out what he says." + +"So far as I can understand, he and his friend are hungry, and want some +grub," observed the latter. "Food is it you want?" he continued, +turning to the Count and the Baron. "Our vessel there, which we hope to +get off at high tide, is laden with cheese, and you shall have one +apiece if you like at cost price, with as much biscuit as you can eat +and some schnapps into the bargain." + +"By all means, let us go on board at once," cried the Baron. "I am +grateful to you." + +"But we must not forget poor Pieter," cried the Count. "Here Pieter, +Pieter, we have got some food for you." + +Pieter had hauled up the boat, and, moving as fast as he could stagger, +he accompanied the Count and the Baron and the crew of the sloop on +board. The sailors were as good as their word, and produced a couple of +round ruddy cheeses and a basketful of biscuits. + +"Let us attack one first," said the Baron, nearly breaking his knife in +the attempt to make an incision in the rind; he succeeded in getting off +some slices, and all three fell to. Pieter, who was the most hungry of +the party, swallowed one huge lump after another, then held out his cup +for a supply of schiedam. + +"Never mind the water," he observed. "This dry biscuit and cheese +requires something potent to get it down." + +The Count, who had never tasted schiedam before, though he took his +diluted with water, made wry faces at what he considered its nauseous +taste, but he said nothing for fear of offending the captain and crew of +the sloop. At length he declared that he could eat no more. + +"I think I can go on a little longer," said the Baron, who had attacked +the second cheese. + +"And I do not expect to leave off till midnight," said the one-eyed +mariner, helping himself to an additional slice. At last their meal +came to a conclusion. + +"Where are you bound for?" asked the Count of the skipper of the sloop. + +"For Amsterdam," answered the skipper. + +"Then, Baron, don't you think that it would be as well if we were to +proceed on board this vessel, supposing the captain is willing to give +us a passage?" said the Count. + +"As to that, we might do worse," answered the Baron. "We shall thus at +all events accomplish our passage to Amsterdam by water as we intended, +and the Zuyder Zee is not likely to prove as boisterous as the Northern +Ocean." + +The skipper of the sloop having no objection to take the Count and the +Baron, the arrangement was at once concluded. + +"By-the-by, my friend," said the Baron, "I hope you will manage to +obtain some more nutritious and palatable provender than these red +cheeses and hard biscuit for the voyage: they are all very well once in +a way for supper, but I should not like to have nothing else to live +on." + +The skipper promised to send to Yollendam, or if not to Edam, to obtain +provisions for his passengers. + +"And pray, Mynheers, what are you going to do with your boat," asked the +one-eyed mariner. + +"I forgot all about her," exclaimed the Count. "We will present her to +you, my worthy friend," he said. "You shall become her skipper, and, if +you please, you are welcome to sail round the world in her, provided we +are not compelled to accompany you." + +The one-eyed mariner gratefully accepted the gift. "I am a made man," +he said, "and need no longer be at the beck and call of Captain Jan +Dunck, supposing he and the _Golden Hog_ are still afloat. I will +obtain fishing lines, and go out and fish and sell my fish, and build a +cottage, and marry a wife, and live happy and independent to the end of +my days." + +A bright idea seemed to strike the Count. "Friend, if you happen not to +have found a wife in these parts, pray come over to Belgium, and I will +there introduce you to a charming person, Johanna Klack by name, and you +can take her away with you and settle at Marken or Urk, or any other +island in or about the Zuyder Zee." + +"Excellent! the brightest idea, my dear Count, to which you ever gave +birth," exclaimed the Baron. "By all means, worthy Pieter, come. Don't +trouble yourself to look out for a wife here; they're all very good in +their way, but Johanna Klack is super-excellent, and she probably has +saved up a whole stockingful of guilders. I feel very much inclined to +go back with you at once to assist you in your wooing." + +"Mynheer," said the one-eyed mariner, putting his finger to his nose, +"`good wine needs no bush.' I have an idea or two. If this dame is so +very charming, somebody with more personal attractions than I possess +will have won her before I have the happiness of making her +acquaintance; and you forget that, though I have got the boat, I have to +obtain the fishing lines to catch the fish, to sell the fish, to go on +doing that for some years, and then to build the house, and when the +house is built it will be time enough for me to come in search of Vrouw +Johanna Klack." + +"Well, well, we'll talk about that to-morrow morning," said the Baron, +who did not feel very sanguine as to the speedy disposal of Johanna +Klack's fair hand. + +Pieter, wishing them good night, went to sleep on board his boat, while +they turned into two bunks in the small cabin of the sloop and slept +soundly. + + + +CHAPTER SIX. + +When the Count and the Baron awoke, they found to their surprise that +the sloop was not only afloat but under weigh, and sailing over the +waters of the Zuyder Zee. The skipper, who was short and broad, had a +crew of two men, who were, he assured his passengers, amply sufficient +for navigating the sloop. + +"We shall not reach Amsterdam quite as soon as you might have expected, +Mynheers," he said; "for I purpose putting in at Monnickendam for a few +hours. It is not a very lively place, though it was once a wealthy +city, one of the twenty great towns of Holland, but its glory has passed +away." + +As the object of the Count and the Baron was to see the world, they +willingly agreed to visit this dead city of the Zuyder Zee. They were +accordingly rowed on shore in the sloop's boat. + +"Well, this does seem to be a city of the dead, or else the inhabitants, +if there are any, have gone to sleep," observed the Baron, as he and the +Count paced the streets, which were payed with yellow bricks. The +houses were all red, and the Venetian shutters green--one house was +almost exactly like another; not a door nor a window was open, not a +face was to be seen at any of them; through the entire length of one +long thoroughfare they met not a single person--not a cat, nor a dog, +nor a sign of life. They went through street after street--every street +was the same; only when they returned to the harbour a few people +collected to inspect them, examining minutely their boots and hats, +their coats and umbrellas. + +"Well, gentlemen," said the Baron, making them a profound bow, "you will +remember us should we ever have the pleasure of paying your defunct city +another visit." + +He and the Count stepped into the boat which was waiting to take them on +board the sloop. Whatever other business the skipper transacted at +Monnickendam, he had not omitted to imbibe a considerable amount of +schiedam, and although when he stepped on deck he was as steady as a +church steeple, there was a twinkle in his eye, and a mode of expressing +himself which showed what he had been about. The Count and the Baron, +however, did not at first discover this. When the sloop was got under +weigh, he invited them into the cabin to partake of the dinner, which +one of the crew had prepared. The wind was light, and the sloop glided +steadily on. + +"After all, I really do think I like the sea," said the Count. "This +style of navigation suits me--no trouble, no fatigue. We can eat and +drink and go to sleep, and return on deck to enjoy the fresh air. When, +Captain, do you think we shall reach Rotterdam?" + +"Reach Rotterdam, Mynheers, why when the sloop gets there," answered the +skipper. "I cannot say how soon we shall reach it, the winds must know +more about that than I do. We have Uitdam and Durgerdam to pass first, +and the wind may fail us or become contrary. It was not in our +agreement to tell you when we should get there; have patience, Mynheers, +have patience; let the world go round as it likes, and have patience." + +This was not a very satisfactory answer, but as the Count and the Baron +were tolerably comfortable they made no complaint. The skipper sat in +his chair, and after he had finished dinner quaffed schiedam and water; +one of the crew was engaged below in cleaning up the dishes and plates, +the other was at the helm. Presently there came a loud cry, and the +cutter heeled over. The Count, who was the most active of the party, +jumped up to see what was the matter, while the man forward did the +same. + +"We're run into by a big, lubberly ship," cried the man at the helm. + +The fact was very clear. The bowsprit of the big ship had caught the +rigging of the sloop, and was bearing her over. + +"What is going to happen?" asked the Count, in a state of no small +trepidation. + +"We shall be sent to the bottom if our mast and rigging are not carried +away," answered the man at the helm. The crew of the big ship were +rushing out to the bowsprit end to try and clear the sloop, but that +seemed no easy matter. + +"Can't you cut the rigging, my friends?" shouted the Count, who at a +glance saw that by so doing the sloop would be set free. + +"But we shall lose our mast if they do that," said the man at the helm. + +"Better lose our mast than be sent to the bottom," answered the Count. + +Again he shouted, "Cut, my friends, cut." + +The sailor who had sprung to the end of the jibboom, supposing the Count +to be the captain, did as he was bid, and with a few strokes of an axe +quickly severed the rigging, and the shrouds fell down on deck, while +the sloop, gliding on, was quickly free of the ship. + +"Why didn't you keep a better look-out?" shouted the captain of the +ship. "It was your own fault in getting in our way." + +"Ja, ja," answered the man at the helm, who like the skipper had been +indulging in potations of schiedam. The skipper himself now came on +deck, to which the Baron had just before made his way, and began +storming and raging. The crew of the big ship only laughed at him and +sailed proudly on, while the sloop lay helpless on the water. + +"The sooner we repair the rigging the better," observed the Count, who +never put himself out, whatever happened. The only man who was capable +of doing this was the one who had been forward; he at once lowered down +the mainsail and saved the mast from being carried away, which it might +have been had a slight puff of wind come on. + +"Put the vessel to rights, you lubbers," cried the skipper. "I am going +below to finish my bottle of schiedam." + +"Ja, ja," answered the sober man of the crew. "Mynheers, will you help +me, and we shall be able to do it," he said, addressing the Count and +the Baron. + +They consented to do their best to pull and haul as much as was +required. + +"That's all I want," he said, fixing a rope to the severed rigging and +going aloft with it. Having passed it through a block he told them to +haul away. When the upper end had reached the masthead he lashed it +there as securely as he could. + +"That will do, provided we do not get a strong breeze. Now, Mynheers, +help me to set the mainsail." + +The Count and the Baron hauled away right lustily, and the sail was soon +set. + +"Now," said the sober sailor to the man who had been at the helm, "go +forward and sleep; it is the only thing you're fit for at present." + +The seaman obeyed, and disappeared down the fore hatchway. The sloop +sailed on and on. The Count looked into the cabin and saw that the +skipper was fast asleep; the Baron went forward and found half his crew +employed in the same way. + +"Never mind," said the sober sailor; "the wind is fair, and provided no +other big ship runs us down we shall get safely to Amsterdam soon after +nightfall." + +This was cheering news to the travellers, and they promised a handsome +reward to the sober sailor if he would take them in safely. + +"Glad to do that for my own sake," he answered. "It won't be my fault +if we do not." + +Still, as the wind was light the sloop sailed slowly; yet it was very +evident, from the number of vessels they encountered, that they were +approaching the great emporium of commerce; but the evening was drawing +on, and darkness would increase the dangers of the voyage. At length +they could only see lights glittering here and there, ahead and on every +side, and tall masts rising out of the water. Now and then shouts +warned them to get out of the way of some vessel, and the sober sailor +shouted in return. + +"Now, Mynheers, whichever of you can steer the best take the helm, and +we will bring the sloop to an anchor. We must wait till daylight to get +through the outer drawbridge." + +"I never steered in my life," answered the Count. + +"Nor I either," said the Baron. + +"Then do one of you take the tiller and do as I tell you," said the +sober sailor. + +"Baron, I leave that honour to you," said the Count; "I do not feel +quite up to it." + +The Baron, who would have been ready to steer a seventy-four if he had +been asked, at once took the tiller in hand, and, as the sailor sang +out, "Pull the tiller towards you," or "Put it away from you," he did as +he was bid. They glided on in the darkness, the lights round them +twinkling like fireflies. At last the sailor hauled down the jib and +foresail. "Now put it from you," he sang out, "as far as you can." +Then there came a splash, and the cable ran out, and the sober sailor +requested the Count and the Baron to help him lower the mainsail. + +"Now I have you all snug," he said, "I can put you on shore, or you can +remain on board till morning if you wish it." + +"I think we had better remain on board," said the Baron; "I do not fancy +going into a strange town at midnight without knowing an inch of my way, +or what hotel to go to." + +"I agree with you," observed the Count, "though I cannot say that I +anticipate much pleasure in passing the night in a close cabin with a +tipsy skipper snoring as loud as a grampus." + +"Not pleasant, certainly," remarked the Baron; "and I am ready to +sacrifice myself for your benefit, if our friend here will take me on +shore and wait for me while I search for an hotel; whether I find one or +not, I will come back to you." + +The Count gladly agreed to this proposal; and the sober sailor, +launching the boat, at once put off with the Baron, intending, as he +said, to land him at a quay at no great distance. The Count walked the +deck impatiently waiting his return; and, as he heard the skipper and +the man forward snoring, he began to regret that he had not himself also +gone. The sober sailor and the Baron were a long time absent. + +"What can have become of them?" exclaimed the Count, over and over +again. He had sat down to rest in the after part of the vessel, when he +saw some one moving forward; and, going in that direction, he discovered +the sailor who had been asleep. + +"What are you about there?" he asked. + +"Giving more scope to the cable," was the answer. "The tide has risen, +and the sloop wants it." + +"All right, I suppose," thought the Count, and he went aft, while the +sailor descended, and was soon again fast asleep. The Count heard a +noise such as rope makes when running over wood. Presently he observed +that the objects, dimly seen through the gloom of night, were moving. +"What can have happened?" he thought. Faster and faster they moved. +The vessel appeared to be in a rapid current. + +"Oh, dear! oh, dear! what is happening?" he cried out; and he shouted to +the skipper and the man forward, but neither answered him. Presently +the vessel struck against the side of a house which rose out of the +water, then against a pier, then she bounded off, then once more she +came with tremendous force against another house, which appeared to be a +store, carrying away her bowsprit. "She will go to the bottom, and I +shall be drowned," thought the Count; and he scrambled up the rigging +just as the head of the mast poked its way in at a large opening in the +wall. Climbing the shrouds of a vessel was a feat the Count had never +before accomplished, and was very contrary to his habits; but he exerted +himself to the utmost. The unpleasant recollection came upon him, as he +was doing so, that these were the shrouds which had been severed when +the ship ran into the sloop, and he feared, naturally, that they would +give way at the very moment that he was upon them. This made him climb +the faster. Now, as the vessel heeled over, his feet touched the wall +of the building, and he feared that he might be jammed against it. The +darkness prevented him from seeing clearly what was befalling the hull, +but his impression was that it was going down into the deep canal, and +that the skipper and the remaining portion of his crew would be drowned; +but he had no desire to share their fate, and was utterly unable to help +them. He shouted, however, loud enough to arouse them out of any +ordinary slumber; but the schiedam they had drunk had so completely +lulled their senses that they heard not his shouts, or the bumping of +the vessel against the wall. He therefore continued his ascent till he +reached the top of the mast, when, getting hold of a beam which +projected from the opening in the building, he hauled himself up. Just +as he did so the mast cracked; the vessel with a jerk heeled over to the +opposite side; he was left clinging to the beam while she was borne away +by the tide into the darkness. Again he shouted to try and arouse the +skipper, but no human voice replied to his cries. + + + +CHAPTER SEVEN. + +The Count felt about with his feet till they touched the floor of the +loft into which he had scrambled. "Here I am landed at last, at all +events," he said to himself; "but this, though dry enough, is not a +pleasant place in which to pass the night; and besides, my friend +Stilkin will be searching for me, and be very much alarmed at not +finding the vessel, or if he does find her--supposing she has not gone +to the bottom--when he discovers that I have absconded. What can I do? +I must try and get down into the street, and then, perhaps, I shall meet +him and relieve his anxiety. I wish that I had a light, though, as I +shall run the risk of tumbling down some trap-door and breaking my neck. +I must move cautiously. This appears to be a lumber loft of some sort; +it cannot contain valuable merchandise, or the opening through which I +made an entrance would have been closed. Well, I am of opinion that +this is the least pleasant of my adventures." The Count stopped. +Looking back, he observed the outline of an opening through which came a +small amount of light--such light as exists at night. This assisted him +to direct his course across the floor of the loft: he moved cautiously, +for every moment he knocked his feet against pieces of plank, and broken +chests, and casks, and heaps of old sails, and fragments of rope piled +up to be turned into oakum, and broken chains, and scraps of iron, and +worn-out brooms and brushes. "I suppose there is an outlet somewhere, +though I cannot yet distinguish it," he said to himself. "These things +have probably been brought up from below; but suppose they have been +only hoisted in through the window, I shall be imprisoned as effectually +as if I had been shut in by bars and bolts, for I certainly cannot make +my escape through the opening by which I entered; I should only fall +into the canal. Dear me! dear me! this is unpleasant. I wish that I +had stayed at home in my old castle. However, wishes are vain things. +I must try to get out somehow or other." Again he began to grope about, +feeling with his hands and feet, but in spite of all efforts could +discover no outlet. "Probably, after all, it will be wiser to sit down +and wait till daylight," he thought. He accordingly sat himself down on +a pile of rope, but he had not sat there long before he heard strange +noises, a clattering and clambering of some creatures or other, and +presently two or three came bounding over his feet. + +"Those must be rats," he said to himself. "I have heard of a species +which comes from Norway, great savage creatures, a few dozen of which +would eat up a man at a meal; if I go to sleep they may eat me up, and +that will be objectionable in the highest degree. It is very clear that +I must get out of this if I wish to keep a whole skin in my body. Come! +arouse thee, brave Funnibos! let it not be said that the last of thy +race was eaten up by rats." + +He once more got up and resumed his search; as he was feeling about his +hands struck against a large ring: "This perhaps is a trap-door," he +thought. Standing on one side, he pulled with all his might; it +yielded, and he found that he was lifting it up. + +"Yes, this is a trap-door, and the means of escape presents itself, but +I must take care that there is a ladder by which to descend, or I may +pitch down head foremost and crack my skull." Stooping over, he +discovered to his satisfaction that there was a ladder, and he +accordingly descended, holding on very tight with his hands, while he +felt with his feet. At last he reached the bottom, and found himself on +a lower story; the windows, however, if there were any, were closed. He +was not much better off than he had been on the story above; still, +having succeeded thus far, he was determined not to be defeated, and +again he began to search about. The chamber appeared to have but little +in it; now and then he knocked against a chest or a box, and stumbled +over other articles, till suddenly he nearly fell head foremost down a +stair. "This must lead somewhere, at all events," he thought; and by a +banister which he discovered on one side he began cautiously to descend, +feeling with one foot before he lifted up the other. Down and down he +went till he got into a passage between some stone walls. "Come, +perhaps this will conduct me to the street, or to the street door, and, +if it is only closed with bolts and bars, I may withdraw them and set +myself free. I only hope that there may be no inhabitants who may take +me for a burglar, and shoot me before I have time to explain matters. I +must go cautiously, so as to make no noise." He was going on feeling +the walls on both sides, and putting one foot slowly before the other, +when he observed a faint light streaming up from an opening on one side. +The opening was a doorway; as he reached it the light became stronger, +and he saw some stone steps leading to yet a lower story. + +"This seems strange," he muttered, "I understood that the houses in +Amsterdam were built on piles to keep them out of the water, and I +should have supposed that a flight of steps so low as this would lead +one into it; but there must be some one down there, or this bright light +would not be coming up. Perhaps I had better go back to try and find my +way to the street door, as I had intended, lest that somebody should +consider that I am intruding; however, having got thus far, I will try +and solve the mystery." He, therefore, again descended step by step. +He found himself in a small vaulted chamber, in the centre of which was +a table covered with retorts, jars, glasses of all shapes and sizes, and +other chemical apparatus, while at a chair was seated a tall, +grey-headed old gentleman, stirring the contents of a clay bowl with a +glass tube; his eyes were so intently fixed on the bowl that he did not +discover the presence of a stranger. A lamp burning on the table shed +the light around on the wizen countenance of the aged alchemist, on the +walls of the chamber, and on the roof, from which hung suspended several +iron chains, and stuffed birds and beasts and other creatures of curious +form, unlike anything the Count had before seen. He stood for some time +watching the proceedings of the unknown alchemist and considering what +he should do; at last he gave a cough to attract attention. The old man +looked up, and regarded him with a fixed stare. + +"Who are you, and whence do you come?" he asked in a hollow voice. "Are +you a spirit from the vasty deep, or have you risen from the nether +world?" + +"Though I am not a spirit, I have come from the vasty deep, for I am a +shipwrecked traveller," answered the Count. "In a most extraordinary +manner I was landed in a loft above this building, and have found my way +down here. My object at present is to get out into the street of +Amsterdam, for I presume I am in that city, and to discover my friend +and companion, Baron Stilkin, who had, fortunately for himself, gone on +shore before the catastrophe occurred, which nearly cost me my life; and +I shall be very, very much obliged to you, most reverend Seignor, if you +will show me the door." + +"At present I cannot on any account do that," answered the alchemist. +"It might prove the destruction of my hopes were I to leave this +crucible for a moment. Know that I am on the point of making the great +discovery which is the object of my life," and the old man went on +stirring as before. + +"What is that discovery, may I ask?" inquired the Count. + +"The means of converting tin into silver, and copper into gold; or +rather, I may say, the discovery of the philosopher's stone, for which +the sages of past centuries have searched in vain, but which I firmly +believe it has been reserved for me to find out. I shall then become +the richest individual in Amsterdam, and I have resolved to employ my +wealth in rebuilding the city. I purpose to lay the foundations with +granite instead of wooden piles, on which it now stands; to increase the +width and depth of its canals, and double their present dimensions; to +erect a church in the centre which shall surpass that of Saint Peter's +or Saint Paul's; to make the inhabitants the most wealthy and healthy, +the best and most contented people on the face of the globe. These are +grand designs, you will allow, most noble stranger, for I perceive you +are capable of appreciating them: these are sufficient to induce a man +to burn the midnight oil, to spend his days in ceaselessly labouring at +his allotted task." + +"Perhaps you will be good enough to make haste and discover this +philosopher's stone, and then let me out at your street door; for I am +desperately hungry, and wish to find a hotel where I may obtain a supper +and bed, in case I should not meet with Baron Stilkin, who landed for +the express purpose of looking for one." + +"Wait a few moments longer, my friend," said the alchemist, still +stirring on. "You would not surely have me throw away the labour of +years to gratify your selfish object. Just step aside in the meantime +into that recess, as I am not quite certain what is about to happen. +There may come an explosion, such has occurred before now, and then at +the bottom of this crucible I firmly believe that I shall discover the +philosopher's stone. It has never appeared yet, but, once in my +possession, I shall leave this cold vault for ever, and emerge into the +upper world, to commence the great undertaking I have designed. Stand +aside! stand aside! at any moment there may be an explosion." + +The Count at first thought that the wisest plan would be to escape up +the stone steps, as he had no wish to be exposed to the effects of the +expected explosion; but, curious to see the result, he stepped aside, as +the old alchemist advised him, into a recess of the vault. Still the +alchemist stirred on, but nothing occurred. The Count was losing +patience when he heard the sound of feet descending the steps. + +"Here comes my familiar spirit," muttered the alchemist; "he always does +come just when I am about to make my grand discovery." + +"He treads very heavily for a spirit!" thought the Count. + +At that moment a remarkable and unattractive-looking person came into +the light of the lamp; he was a short, thick-set man, with a huge head, +almost a dwarf, dressed in a long coat and high boots, carrying in his +hand a kettle. + +The alchemist as he saw him started up. "Why have you come? Why hast +thou come, thou enemy of science? thou who, night after night, hast +prevented me from making the grand discovery, the aim of my existence, +thou disturber of my studies, thou foe of the human race!" + +"You know well enough, Mynheer Bosch, that what you say is all nonsense, +and that I will not allow you to abuse me in this fashion," exclaimed +the dwarf, lifting up the kettle as if he were about to throw it at the +philosopher's head. "Come along, and leave your old bottles and jars; +it is high time that you were in bed, and my business is to see you safe +there, and to lock you up till to-morrow morning." + +"But I have a visitor," said the philosopher, calming down, and looking +perfectly resigned to his fate. "A visitor who may become my pupil, and +aid me in making my grand discovery, which has, through your +interference, been so long delayed." + +"Any one who desires to become your pupil must be a remarkably silly +fellow," observed the dwarf. "If he is there, let him show himself. +Come out, whoever you are, and I'll know how you ventured into this +house without leave." + +The Count, on hearing this, stepped forth from his hiding-place. +"Honest man, pray understand, in the first place, that I have no desire +to become the pupil of this philosophical gentleman, that I most +unintentionally entered the house, and shall be extremely obliged to you +if you will let me out as soon as possible," he said; and he briefly +explained how he had happened to get into the loft. + +"That being the case, as soon as I have secured this poor old man for +the night, I will show you out into the street," answered the dwarf; and +taking hold of the lamp with one hand and with the other grasping the +arm of the philosopher, who moved on as meekly as a lamb, he led the way +up the steps, the Count following close behind. After proceeding along +several passages he reached a door, when, producing a key from his +pocket, he opened it. + +"Go in," he said to the philosopher, "and wait till I come back." The +latter obeyed, and the dwarf locked him in. + +"Now, Mynheer," he said, "having disposed of that poor old fellow for +the present, I will show you the way out into the street; but take care +you do not fall into the canal. You will not find any hotel in this +part of the town fit for a gentleman of your rank; but if you go on +straight before you and then turn to the right, then to the left, then +to the right again, you may possibly meet with your friend whom you +desire to find; if not, a watchman will take charge of you, should he +not lock you up, and will help you to find an hotel." + +This was not altogether satisfactory, for the Count doubted very much +whether he should be able to follow the directions he had received; but +he wanted to get into the open air, and he hoped that he should somehow +or other find his way. He was not in the best possible mood, and had +little expectation of finding the Baron; he was desperately hungry, and +was afraid that his portmanteau was lost, which would certainly be the +case if the sloop had gone to the bottom. However, finding himself in +the open air, he went along what appeared to be a narrow road, with +houses on one side and a canal on the other. The odour which rose from +the latter in the night air was far from pleasant, but he soon got +accustomed to it. He was inclined to shout out the Baron's name as he +went along, but it occurred to him that some of the watchers of the +night might accuse him of being a disorderly person, and carry him off +to prison, though whenever he saw anyone approaching he asked in a +subdued tone, "Is that you, Baron Stilkin?" But no one acknowledged +himself to be the Baron. Thus the Count went on, no one impeding his +progress. According to the dwarfs advice, he did turn to the left and +then to the right, then to the left again, and turned several times, +till he forgot how many times he had turned or where he was. For a long +time he met no one of whom to inquire the way. At last he heard +footsteps approaching. "Is that you. Baron Stilkin?" he asked, as he +had done before. + +"What, whose voice is that?" exclaimed some one. + +The Count, hoping that it was the Baron, replied, "Count Funnibos." + +"What, my dear Count, is it you yourself?" exclaimed Baron Stilkin, for +he it was, and, rushing into each other's arms, they wept, overcome by +their feelings. The Count narrated the extraordinary adventures he had +met with. + +"And what about our portmanteaus and umbrellas? what will become of +them?" exclaimed the Baron. + +"They are on board the sloop, and, for what I can tell, at the bottom of +the Zuyder Zee," said the Count. + +"We must endeavour to regain them forthwith if they are afloat, or fish +them up if they are at the bottom," said the Baron. "Come along. I +left the sober sailor waiting for me. We may possibly find him, and at +once put off in search of our property." + +"But I should prefer having some supper first," exclaimed the Count. "I +am well-nigh starving." + +"Never mind, my dear Count," said the Baron, "I have eaten enough for +two, and there's no time to be lost. It is of the greatest importance +that we should forthwith recover our portmanteaus and umbrellas. Why, +we have all the money in them, and our note-books and journals." + +"And my ties and tooth-brush," put in the Count. "Of course, of course. +I will still the cravings of my appetite and sacrifice my feelings for +the common weal." + +"Eight, right; a noble principle," said the Baron. "I shall be able to +enjoy a second supper with you when we return." And the Baron acting as +guide, they set off for the quay where, to the best of his belief, he +had left the sober sailor. Wonderful to relate, the sober sailor was +there, waiting patiently, smoking his pipe with his arms folded, a +picture of resignation. As far as could be perceived in the gloom of +night, he did not appear to be much surprised at hearing of the accident +which had befallen the sloop. + +"Cheer up, Mynheers, we will find her," he said. "She's not likely to +have got far. There's a bit of a current round that point, but after +that the tide runs slowly, and she will have been brought up by some +other vessel across which she's been driven, or is still floating slowly +out towards the Zuyder Zee." Saying this, he bent to his oars and +pulled away down the canal. The lights glittered from the upper windows +of many houses, showing that the inhabitants were not yet in bed, and +the tall masts of numerous vessels towered up towards the sky, with +yards across seen indistinctly in the gloom of night. The moon shone +forth and shed her pale light on the smooth surface of the water, which +looked bright and silvery, very different to the hue it is apt to wear +in the daytime. + +"If I were not so hungry and so anxious about our portmanteaus and +umbrellas I should enjoy this," observed the Count. + +"I do enjoy it," said the Baron, stroking his waistcoat. "As to our +portmanteaus and umbrellas, my mind is greatly relieved by the +assurances of our friend the sober sailor here." + +"I hope you are so with sufficient reason," observed the Count, who was +in low spirits, as people often are when they are hungry. + +"I told you so, I told you so; there's the sloop," shouted the Baron. +"I am right, am I not, friend mariner?" + +"Ja, ja, that's she," answered the sober sailor, pulling towards the +sloop, which was, as he had asserted would be the case, floating +leisurely along, like a snail on a garden path. He soon pulled up +alongside, when the Count and the Baron scrambled on board. The tipsy +skipper and his tipsy crew were still both fast asleep in their +respective bunks. + +"Now I consider that it would be right and proper to let them float on +after we have recovered our portmanteaus and umbrellas," said the Baron. + +"It would be more kind and charitable to anchor the sloop, or to take +her alongside the nearest vessel we can reach," said the Count. "What +do you say, worthy mariner?" + +"We cannot anchor her, because my messmate slipped her cable and left +the anchor in the canal," answered the sober sailor. "But we will tow +her alongside another vessel and make her fast, where she will remain +safe enough till I have conveyed you, Mynheers, and your luggage to the +shore. We sailors make it a point of honour to look after our shipmates +when they get overtaken by too abundant potations of schiedam or any +other liquor." + +"But you do not mean to say that you ever get overtaken?" asked the +Count. + +"Not unless it is my turn to enjoy that pleasure," answered the sober +sailor. "It was my turn to-night to keep sober, as it would never do +for the whole crew to get drunk together." Having said this, the sober +sailor stepped into the boat, and towed the sloop up to a vessel which +lay conveniently near. Having secured her, and informed her skipper and +crew of the condition of his skipper and crew, he pulled away up to the +landing-place, carrying the Count and Baron, with their portmanteaus and +umbrellas. They were not long, after landing, in finding a hotel, on +entering which the first words the Baron uttered were, "Supper for two." + +"I thought that you had supped," remarked the Count. + +"My dear Count, do you think I should be so uncourteous as not to eat a +second to keep you company?" said the Baron, smiling blandly. They, +were soon seated at table, and the Baron did ample justice to his second +supper. + + + +CHAPTER EIGHT. + +"Then here we are in Amsterdam," said the Count to the Baron, as they +sauntered out of their hotel after breakfast. "I wonder whether all +these people have come to do us honour on hearing of our arrival." + +"They probably have not heard of our arrival," said the Baron. "They +are, as you will perceive, market people, and others who have come in +these boats surrounding the landing-slips;" and he pointed across the +crowd which thronged the quay to the canal, on which boats of various +sizes were coming and going, mostly laden with cheeses and other +merchandise to supply the city of Amsterdam. + +"Ah, yes; you are probably correct," remarked the Count. "Now let us +set forth and inspect this great city." + +A guide, who had noticed them leaving the hotel, offered his services to +conduct them through the streets, and to give them the information which +as strangers they would naturally require. + +"Thank you," said the Baron, who, thinking him a very polite gentleman, +made him a bow. "We accept your services." + +"Come then, Mynheers, come then," said the guide; "with me as your +conductor, you will see more of the city in a few hours than you would +by yourselves in as many days. You will understand that Amsterdam is +the largest town in Holland," he commenced. "It is built in the shape +of a crescent, or horse-shoe, and is situated at the influx of the +Amstel into the Y; the latter, though it is called a river, is in +reality an arm of the Zuyder Zee, and forms our harbour; hence the name +of Amsterdam--the dam of the Amstel, or Amster. Now I will lead you to +the docks, close to which we now are--they are capable of accommodating +a thousand vessels; the locks, you will observe, are of enormous +strength, which it is necessary they should be, so as to resist the +inroads of the sea. We take great precautions to keep it out, and with +good reason, for our streets are much below its level, and were it to +break in they would be completely flooded. Our city is nine miles in +circumference, while canals of various sizes intersect it in every +direction, and divide it into ninety islands, which are connected by +means of nearly three hundred bridges. A broad moat, or canal, also +runs almost completely round it, a portion of which is flanked with +avenues of elms, which have a handsome and picturesque appearance. Our +houses are constructed on foundations of piles, and as some of these +give way, either destroyed by worms or becoming rotten by age, the +houses are apt to lean about in various directions, which artists say +look very picturesque, but are not so pleasant to the inhabitants, who, +however, live on in them, hoping that, as they have been in that +condition for some years, they will not tumble down just yet. Now and +then they do come down, but people get accustomed to that sort of thing. +Many years ago our great corn magazine sank into the mud, the piles on +which it stood being unable to support the weight of three thousand five +hundred tons of grain, which were stored in the building at that time. +You will observe the style of the houses, many of them built of Dutch +brickwork, which foreigners justly admire. Our canals are not quite as +deep as they should be, although we have dredging machines constantly +engaged in removing the mud, which is thus apt to be stirred about in an +unpleasant manner as every barge comes up, and strangers declare that an +excessively offensive odour rises from them, especially on hot days; but +we who live here are not inconvenienced, in fact we rather doubt the +statement; there may be a smell, but it surely cannot be an unpleasant +one." + +"As to that," answered the Count, holding his pocket-handkerchief to his +nose, "it must depend upon what people consider unpleasant; for my part, +I prefer the scent of orange blossoms or eau de Cologne to it." + +The guide, who seemed anxious to fulfil his promise of enabling them to +see the city in a brief period of time, trotted them along the quays at +a rapid rate, pointing out to them the great dyke which prevents the +Zuyder Zee from washing into the town; then he conducted them up one +street and down another, over bridges and along banks of canals +innumerable, till they had not the slightest idea of where they were +going or what they were seeing. He poured out his information also at +so rapid a rate that the Count could with difficulty make the shortest +notes. Museums and picture galleries of various sorts were pointed out +to them. + +"You will be able to see those by and by," observed the guide; "at +present my object is to exhibit to you the outside of the city." + +The whole day was expended in viewing the city, and even then a large +portion remained to be seen, which they flattered themselves they should +do on another occasion. They then, pretty well tired, returned to their +hotel. + +"Now, Count, in what direction shall we next bend our steps?" asked the +Baron. "If we were at sea the wind might settle that point, but on +shore the matter is more complicated." + +"Come with me, Mynheers, to Zaandam," said a gentleman, who was seated +opposite to them at table and heard the Baron's question. + +"I suppose there's something to be seen there?" the Baron asked. + +"Certainly there is something to be seen," said the gentleman. "There's +the house of Peter the Great, who lived there while he was working as a +shipwright, and there are windmills." + +"There are a good many windmills in other parts of Holland," observed +the Count. + +"But the windmills of Zaandam beat them all hollow," answered the +gentleman. "There are no fewer than four hundred in and about Zaandam, +employed in all sorts of labour: some grind corn, some saw timber, +others crush rape-seed, while others again drain the land, or reduce +stones to powder, or chop tobacco into snuff, or grind colours for the +painter. Those of Zaandam are of all shapes and descriptions, and many +of them are of an immense size--the largest in the world." + +"We will go to Zaandam," said the Count; and the next morning he and the +Baron accompanied their new friend, whom they took care to ascertain was +not a professional guide, down to the quay, whence a steamboat was about +to start to their intended destination. + +In little more than an hour having crossed the waters of the Y, they +landed at Zaandam. They were not disappointed with respect to the +windmills, which, as there was a fair breeze, seemed to be all very +busy, the sails whirling round and round and doing their duty with all +earnestness, as duty ought to be done. When the wind slackened it was +not their fault if they did not go as fast. They could distinguish the +flour mills, which generally had a balcony running round half-way up; +but the draining mills were smaller, and had no balcony. Zaandam, +however, did not look like a town, it more resembled a straggling +village; the houses--small, painted a bright green, with red roofs-- +peeping out on the banks of the river amid the trees in all directions. + +Suddenly the Count began whirling his arms about in a way which made the +Baron fancy he had gone mad. + +"What is the matter?" he exclaimed. + +"I cannot help it," answered the Count, still looking up at the +windmills. "How they go round and round and round in all directions; it +is enough to turn one into a windmill. I feel inclined already to +become one." + +"Don't, don't!" cried the Baron, seizing his friend's arms and holding +them down. "Don't look at those whirlabout sails, but come let us go +and see the house of Peter the Great, which was the chief object of our +visit to this place." + +"Peter the Great, ah, I have heard of him; how long did he live here?" +asked the Count. + +"Not very long," said their friend. "Zaandam was in those days a great +ship-building place, and he came here to instruct himself in the art; +but the people found out who he was, and shocked his modesty by staring +him out of countenance, so he went away to Amsterdam, where among the +crowd he was less likely to be discovered." + +Proceeding along a canal bordered by a few dilapidated houses, they +arrived before a zinc building, which has been erected to cover the hut +in which Peter the Great lived. An ancient individual, who had charge +of it, admitted them within the outside covering. + +"Peter of Russia was a great man, there's no doubt about that," observed +the Baron. "But from the appearance of this edifice he must have been +contented with a very inferior style of accommodation; for there appear +to be but two small rooms, and every plank of the walls is out of the +perpendicular, and every beam far off the horizontal, while the floors +resemble the surface of a troubled sea." + +The hut was constructed of wood, old planks nailed roughly together, +some running in one direction, some in another. As the travellers +entered they rolled about as if they had suddenly become giddy. The +furniture too was limited; it consisted of a couple of curiously shaped +old chairs, a table and a bedstead of antique form and simple +construction. The walls were adorned with portraits of Peter the Great +and his wife, who certainly, judging by her picture, was no beauty. + +"I observe that a number of persons of celebrity have carved their names +on the walls; I think we ought to do the same, to let it be known to all +the world, who come after us, that we have been here," said the Baron, +taking out his penknife. "Here are some names, great persons +undoubtedly, and, as far as I can judge, English; let me see, one is +Jones, the other is Smith, and a third Brown--we will add ours." + +"Have the kindness to put mine, then," said the Count. "I should wish +to appear in such excellent company, but carving on wood is not one of +my talents." + +The Baron accordingly with the tip of his penknife wrote, or rather +carved, "Count Funnibos and Baron Stilkin," putting the date of their +visit. Well satisfied with his performance, he took another glance +round the room, about which the Count had been staggering, looking at +the various corners and crevices, as if he expected to find the Great +Peter in one of them, sawing or planing, or perhaps supping off a bowl +of porridge. The ancient keeper informed them that the building was +erected by a former Queen of Holland--a Princess of Russia--to prevent +this relic of her ancestor being swept off the face of the earth. On +one of the walls was a marble tablet, placed there by the Emperor +Alexander to commemorate a visit he paid to the hut, which showed to the +Count and Baron that another great person had been there before them. + + + +CHAPTER NINE. + +On returning to the town of windmills, they encountered the gentleman +who had advised them to pay a visit to the place. + +"I am going on to Alkmaar," he observed, "and should be rejoiced to have +your company; it is a place well worth seeing, and you will have further +experience of Dutch scenery on the way." + +"We will go, by all means," said the Count, who, as it saved him the +trouble of thinking, was glad to receive suggestions regarding their +route. They accordingly went on board the steamer, which was already +pretty well filled with country people, butter-sellers, peddlers, +gardeners, and others, very clean and respectable and picturesque in +their costume. There was a vast amount of shouting and holloaing and +talking as the boat passed through a narrow lock, which conducted them +into the direct line of canal navigation to the place they purposed +visiting. As they glided on, they observed the banks on either side +lined with windmills; here and there were small houses painted green +with red roofs--indeed, red roofs were seen everywhere, like British +soldiers skirmishing, as the colour was toned down and mellowed by time +and weather. On and on they went, sometimes looking down from the canal +to the country below them, for the water was on a higher level than the +land. + +"It would be an awkward business if a breach were to be made in the +banks, and the water were to run out over the country," observed the +Count. + +"We take precautions against that, by making the banks broad and strong, +as you will observe," remarked their friend. "But such an event has +occurred more than once, sometimes by accident, and at others purposely, +to prevent the approach of an enemy, when in a few hours a whole +district has been laid under water." + +"When that occurs, the fields and the orchards and the cottages of the +inhabitants must be destroyed," observed the Count. + +"Undoubtedly," answered his companion. "But we Dutchmen are patriotic, +and willingly sacrifice our own interests for the good of the country; +besides which the chief sufferers have seldom been consulted--our +leaders have decided that it was necessary, and it has been done. In +this way Alkmaar was defended against the Spaniards, and Leyden was +relieved by a fleet of the `Beggars of the Sea,' which, sailing across +the submerged land, brought provisions and reinforcements to the +starving garrison." + +League after league was passed over by this watery way; trees there +were, but they were scarcely of sufficient height to break the uniform +appearance of the level country. + +"My dear Baron," said the Count, taking his friend by the button-hole, +"I have at length settled a point in my mind which has long puzzled me; +I have heard that philosophers differ as to whether the earth is round +or flat, and now you will agree with me that we have proof positive that +it is flat. Look round on every side--the country is as level as a +billiard table, the water in the canals does not run one way more than +another, there's not a single elevation between us and the distant +horizon. Yes, I am convinced of the fact: one does learn something by +travelling." + +The Baron, who was seldom in an argumentative mood, smiled blandly, and +replied, "Yes, my dear Count, you are probably right as far as Holland +is concerned. When we reach other parts of the world we may be +compelled, against our better judgment, to change our opinion, but time +enough for that when we get there; let us at present side with those who +hold to the opinion that the world is flat, but not with those who +pronounce it stale and unprofitable, for Holland is certainly not +unprofitable, or the people would not look so wealthy, fat, and +comfortable." + +After the canal had made several turnings, the tall steeples of Alkmaar, +quaint and ancient, appeared in sight, but it was some time before the +steamer reached the quay of that picturesque town. + +Leaving the steamboat, the Count and the Baron at once going to an +hotel, ordered dinner to be prepared, having invited their new friend to +join them. + +"Though Alkmaar is a place of no great importance at present," observed +their friend, "it can boast of three things--its heroic defence against +the Spaniards, of which I will give you an account by-and-by as we walk +round the ramparts; of its cleanliness, of which you have ocular proof; +and of the vast amount of excellent cheese which it exports; indeed, it +is said to do more business in cheese than any other town in the world. +There are also two or three quaint and curious buildings which are +worthy of a visit." + +"We will visit them in their turn," observed the Baron. + +As he descended the steps of the hotel he evidently created some +sensation among the market people, fishwives, the butter-sellers, and +others who thronged the streets. Perceiving this, he stopped short and +looked about him with a benignant air. "Perhaps, if I were to take up +my residence here, I might be elected Burgomaster," he thought to +himself, "though at home it might be beneath my rank to enter into +commerce. I should have no objection to deal in cheese, they look so +clean, and taste so nice, and have so fragrant an odour. A million +cheeses exported by Baron Stilkin and Company would sound well, and even +though I were to make a profit of only a styver per cheese, would come +to a good sum annually--I will see to it." His cogitations were +interrupted by the appearance of the Count and their friend, who now +invited him to accompany them round the town. Their friend was an +enthusiastic patriot, and having shown them Alkmaar, and described its +heroic defence against the Spaniards, advised them as to the course they +should afterwards pursue. They accordingly set off and visited Haarlem +and Leyden, the Hague--the royal capital--and Rotterdam, the great +commercial city rivalling Amsterdam, Gouda, and Utrecht, which possesses +a cathedral and a fine old tower rising to the height of three hundred +and twenty feet above the ground. + +"And now I propose that, as we have seen all these towns, we go forth +and enjoy something of the country, before we leave Holland," said the +Count. + +"Agreed," answered the Baron, and so it was settled. + + + +CHAPTER TEN. + +Once more the Count and the Baron were in the country. As yet they had +made but little progress in their journey round the world, but they were +not disheartened. + +"We shall do it in time," remarked the Count. "And it strikes me that +if we were to put on my seven-league boots we should go much faster." + +"But, my dear Count, have you seen them lately?" asked the Baron. "A +dreadful idea has occurred to me. I am afraid that I left one of them +on board of the _Golden Hog_, and if she has gone to the bottom your +seven-league boot has gone also, and with only one it is very clear that +we shall not go ahead with the desirable rapidity." + +"Then I suspect we must do without them," said the Count, who always +took matters easily. "We must depend upon our own legs and such means +of conveyance as present themselves. With the help of the railways, +steamboats, trackboats, and horse carriages, we may still manage to get +along. By-the-by, could we not manage to engage a balloon? We might +get over the country at greater speed than even with my seven-league +boots." + +"We should not see much of it in that way, I suspect," observed the +Baron. + +"Oh, yes! A fine bird's-eye view, such as an eagle enjoys," exclaimed +the Count. + +"I decidedly object to aerial travelling," said the Baron. "It does not +suit my figure, and I always feel giddy if I look down from a height. +Sailing on the treacherous ocean is bad enough, and even railways are +not altogether satisfactory. Give me the firm ground, a nice easy +chaise on four wheels, steady horses, and an experienced coachman, and I +can enjoy travelling. But here we are at Nighterecht, a pleasant, +rural-looking place. It boasts of an inn, though not a large one, but +we can enjoy the primitive simplicity of the inhabitants." + +On reaching the inn, having announced themselves, they were received by +the landlady with all the courtesy and respect due to persons of their +exalted rank. + +"We must ask you, good Vrouw, to direct us to any objects worthy of +inspection in this neighbourhood, that we may visit them while you are +preparing dinner," said the Baron. + +"Objects worthy of inspection," said the Vrouw; "there are the houses, +and the fields, and the canals, we have two--one passing close to the +village, the other a little way in the rear--and five windmills, all in +sight without the trouble of going in search of them. We expect that +there will be something too which will take place to interest your +lordships this afternoon. A stranger arrived this morning with a cart +containing a large cask, the contents of which he proposes to exhibit to +all those who will pay him a guilder each; the guilders are to remain +with him, the contents of the cask are to be divided among the +spectators. You will, of course, Mynheers, remain to witness the +spectacle, and to enjoy the benefits which may be derived from the +contents of the cask. Some say it is full of one thing, some of +another, but no one knows what. Notices have been sent round in all +directions, and we expect to have a numerous gathering, which will, at +all events, prove profitable to my establishment." + +The Count and the Baron, not being hurried, agreed to remain. As soon +as dinner was over they observed a number of persons collecting under +the trees in front of the inn, which stood, as the landlady assured +them, on the top of a mountain, though the descent to the canal was +scarcely more than twenty feet, comparing it with the level region +around. In a short time a burly individual appeared, and, with the aid +of two or three others, placed a huge cask on a central spot under the +trees with the head facing down the hill. He then forthwith took his +seat astride on the top of it. + +"Now, noble Mynheers and lovely Vrouws, you have come to see something +very wonderful; but before I exhibit the mystery I must request you to +hand me in the guilders, for unless I obtain a sufficient number the +cask remains closed." + +The people were flocking in from all parts, for at that time of the +evening they had nothing in particular to do. The Count and the Baron +drew near. The burly personage astride of the cask continued his +address, while two or three attendants who had come with him went round +to collect the coin. + +"You will understand, brave Hollanders, that any one who is disposed to +give two guilders or three guilders is welcome to do so, and will, I +hope, reap a proportionate reward," he cried out at the top of his +voice. + +The Count, who had become much interested, wondering what was coming out +of the cask, proposed putting in five guilders. + +"As you like," observed the Baron, "but it is wise, as a rule, to know +what you are going to get for your money, and I suggest that we promise +the individual on the cask an ample reward should we be satisfied. It +would be as well not to pay more than anybody else." + +"But then we can scarcely claim the privilege of standing in the front +rank," observed the Count. "Come, he shall have two guilders." + +"As you like, it will save me the necessity of putting my hand in my +purse," said the Baron. + +The attendants having collected all the money they were likely to get, +the individual on the cask, in a sonorous voice, announced his intention +of exhibiting its contents. For some time past there had been strange +noises proceeding from it, the cause of which no one could understand. + +"Are you prepared to see what you shall see?" cried the stout +individual, riding astride on the cask. "Make ready, then. One, two, +three;" and by some contrivance or other, he suddenly caused the head of +the cask to fall out to the ground, when a chorus of mews and feline +shrieks and cries as if long pent up burst forth, followed by an +avalanche of cats with labels fixed to their tails; who, gazing for a +moment at the assemblage, dashed frantically forward, some in one +direction, some in another, blinded by the light suddenly let in on +their eyes: one made a rush at the Baron, and had almost seized his +chin, while her claws stuck into his shirt-front before he could knock +her off; another made a dash at the Count, who fled precipitately. Each +cat, perhaps with the impression that she was ascending a tree, sprang +first at one of the bystanders, and then at another; and then, if driven +aside, dashed frantically forward down the slope, upsetting half a dozen +of the spectators as they endeavoured to make their escape. + +"I told you, Mynheers and lovely Vrouws, that I should astonish you," +exclaimed the stout individual on the cask. "Each of you shall be +welcome to the cats you can catch." A few boys and girls, who seemed to +consider it great fun, made chase after the cats. The Count and the +Baron, and not a few other persons, being considerably irate at the hoax +that had been practised upon them, turned furiously towards the burly +individual, who still kept his seat on the cask. + +"How dare you sit there laughing at us!" exclaimed one. + +"You impudent fellow! you deserve to be ducked in the canal," cried +another. + +"You will only receive your due if we kick you out of the village," +cried a third. + +"A very proper way to treat him," exclaimed a fourth. + +"Then let us begin!" exclaimed a fifth. + +The stout individual, finding the tide of public favour had decidedly +turned against him, leaped off his cask, and fought his way through the +angry crowd, who had, fortunately for him, been somewhat dispersed by +the cats. Some tried to catch him, others tried to trip him up; but he +was a stout fellow, and was not to be easily caught. Dodging in and out +among them, till seeing a narrow lane which no one at the moment was +guarding, he dashed down it, hoping to make his escape from the village; +but instead of leading him to the outside, as he had hoped, it conducted +him to the very centre. On he ran, followed by the whole crowd, the +Count and Baron joining in the hue and cry. The village resounded with +shouts of "Stop thief! stop thief!" but these only made the burly +individual run the faster. A few of the inhabitants had made a short +cut, hoping to meet him in front; but they only arrived in time to catch +him by the skirts of his coat, which gave way as he sprang by them; +several others made a grab at him, some at the collar, some on one side, +some on the other, till the coat was reduced to shreds, when slipping +his arms out of it he again sprang forward. The Count and the Baron, +who had been rushing on with the crowd, were by some means or other +separated. The Count having lost sight of the chase, thinking after all +that it was no business of his, returned to his inn. It would have been +well for the Baron if he had done the same; but as he was running on at +a more rapid rate than he was wont to move, he tripped and fell; the +rest of those engaged in the pursuit, in their eagerness scarcely +perceiving what had happened, passed him by, leaving him to regain his +legs as best he could. As soon as he had got up, he went on again at +less speed, and in a more cautious manner. + +"I should like to see that fellow castigated," he said to himself. +"Never was served a more abominable trick. Where can he have gone? If +I don't make haste I shall not see what happens." He accordingly ran on +again; now he turned up one narrow lane, now down another, till he had +completely lost himself. "It cannot be a large place, however," he +thought, "and I shall easily find my way back to the inn. Ah! I think +I hear the shouts of the people." + +He began to run on; presently he distinguished cries of, "There he is, +there he is! That must be he, just his size! Well catch him now!" + +"I hope they will," thought the Baron, and on he went; but as he +happened to turn and glance over his shoulder, to his surprise, he saw +that the people were following him. "We shall have him now! we shall +have him now!" he heard the mob shouting. "That must be he! He is up +to all sorts of tricks. Take care he does not escape us. Stop thief! +stop thief!" + +The Baron not liking the sounds, and fearing that there might be some +mistake, thought it best to keep ahead of the mob, and bolted down the +first opening he discovered. To his great satisfaction, at the further +end, he saw not only the inn, but the Count standing at the door of it. +The mob were close behind him, now excited more than ever by their +running, uttering all sorts of threats, and making unpleasant gestures +with their fists, sticks, and staves. + +The Count looked astonished, scarcely comprehending what was happening. +Never had the Baron run so fast, puffing and blowing as he went, and +expecting every moment to drop from fatigue. Several persons were +collected about the door of the inn, who seemed to be amused at watching +him as he ran. At that moment two baker's boys, carrying between them a +large basketful of pies and cakes and loaves, and some paper bags of +flour, happened to be passing the inn door. The Baron, in his hurry not +seeing them, ran against the basket, when over he went with his legs in +the air, his arms and shoulders and the larger part of his body into the +very middle of the pies and cakes and bags of flour. The boys with +looks of alarm held on firmly to the handles, without making any attempt +to assist him, while he, overcome by his unusual exertions, was utterly +unable to help himself. The Count, for the moment, was too much +astonished to do anything, but stood with arms uplifted exclaiming, "My +dear Baron, what has happened? Do get out of that;" while other persons +who stood by only cruelly grinned at his misfortune. At length the +Count, recovering his presence of mind, descended the steps to the +assistance of the hapless Baron, who certainly was more frightened than +hurt, though covered from head to foot with flour and dough and the +contents of the meat pies and fruit tarts, producing an extraordinary +and ludicrous effect. + +The mob, who had by this time come up, shouted, "We have him at last. +Now where shall we carry him to? What shall we do with him? He has +given us a pretty long chase, and deserves to be well ducked, or tarred +and feathered!" + +"My dear people," exclaimed the Count, "you have made a mistake; this is +my friend, Baron Stilkin, who joined you in the chase of that roguish +fellow who let the cats out of the cask, and whom I am afraid you let go +as well as the cats." + +The mob still insisted that the Baron was the man of whom they were in +chase, and it required all the Count's eloquence to persuade them to the +contrary; but his pitiable plight rather amused them than excited their +compassion. Some of them had even the cruelty to beg him to start +again, and give them another chase. At length the kind-hearted landlady +of the inn, coming out, begged him to enter, undertaking to wash his +waistcoat and shirt-front, and to put him to rights. + +"Thanks, my good Vrouw, thanks; and if you will prepare some supper for +me, I shall be doubly grateful, for I am terribly hungry after my long +run," answered the Baron. + +"First let me get off the paste and flour, jam and grease," said the +Vrouw, bringing a brush and a towel and water; and she rubbed and +scrubbed for some minutes with such good effect that the Baron's +garments were restored to their primitive lustre. + +"And now my outward appearance has been polished up, pray look after the +interests of my inner man," said the Baron, placing his hands to his +heart. "I shall ever bear in mind the polite attention with which you +have treated me, though it will take some time to forget the want of +discernment your townsmen have exhibited in mistaking me for that +abominable cat-man. What could have induced him to play such a trick?" + +The landlady admitted that she had met no one who could solve the +mystery. + +"Nor have I," said the Count. "I have been making inquiries in all +directions, but not a person has been able to give me the wished-for +information." + +While the Vrouw went off to prepare supper for the Count and Baron, they +seated themselves at a table in the neat little guest room to wait for +it. Directly afterwards in came one of the bakers' boys, demanding +payment for the pies and tarts, the puddings and flour, injured and +scattered by the Baron. + +"Pay you for getting in my way and causing me to fall over your +abominable basket, to the great injury of my waistcoat and shirt-front, +breeches and coat; not to speak of the undignified position I was +compelled to assume amid the jeers and laughter of the surrounding +populace!" exclaimed the Baron, eyeing the small baker's boy. + +"I am told by my master to demand payment, and payment he says he must +have," answered the small baker's boy. + +"Our wisest course will be to pay the demand made on us, and I would +advise you in future not to tumble into a baker's basket if you can help +it," said the Count. + +The Count, who was always open-handed, paid the demand made on the +Baron, to the infinite satisfaction of the small baker's boy. The +Baron's spirits revived after he had done justice to the supper prepared +by the kind-hearted Vrouw. + +"In what direction shall we next bend our steps?" asked the Count. + +"I have a fancy to visit the province of Guelderland, the region of +roses; and afterwards Friesland, celebrated throughout Holland for the +beauty of its fair dames and its ancient and interesting cities," +answered the Baron. + +"How shall we travel?" asked the Count. + +"I have been giving the matter my earnest consideration," answered the +Baron, "and I have arrived at the conclusion that the easiest, the +pleasantest, if not the most expeditious, mode of travelling will be by +_Trek-Schuit_, or canal-boat, where we can sit at our ease or sleep and +eat while we are dragged smoothly on over the placid water." + +"Certainly, the idea is an excellent one," said? the Count, who was +always ready to do what the Baron proposed. + +Accordingly the next morning, as the _Trek-Schuit_ was passing the +village, they took their seats on board, and proceeded on their journey. + + + +CHAPTER ELEVEN. + +The _Trek-Schuit_ is a long canal-boat, divided into two compartments, +forming a first and second class, and is drawn by a trotting horse along +the towing-path. It contains seats well cushioned for sleeping, a table +for meals, and every other convenience for ease-loving people who are +not in a hurry. A pleasanter mode of conveyance cannot be conceived; +there is no shaking or vibration; in rainy weather the cabin is warm and +comfortable, and in fine weather the passenger can sit on deck and watch +the fast receding landscape. Such was the character of the boat in +which the Count and Baron were now travelling. The scenery need not be +minutely described; but it presented a pleasing level on every side, and +the canal being in many places raised above the surrounding country, +they could look down from their seat on the deck of the boat on the +corn-fields and broad green meadows, scattered over with farmhouses and +cottages, and occasionally with a few trees. Windmills of course very +often made their appearance, and cows, generally black and white, but +mixed sometimes with a few red ones, were to be seen on every hand. The +scenery, though unvaried, was not wearisome, especially when the sun +shone brightly; and the fields looked fresh and green, and the water +sparkled, and everywhere marks of man's industry were to be seen. +Sometimes locks had to be passed, and the boat either ascended or +descended a few feet, but it was not often she left the usual level. +The particulars of the journey need not be detailed, as no adventures of +especial interest were met with. Leaving the _Trek-Schuit_ they +continued their journey on land, having engaged a vehicle of antique +form, the box handsomely sculptured, highly coloured and gilt, and the +harness well burnished. It was drawn by a fine black horse ornamented +with red bows. They stepped in, and away they dashed at a rapid rate +along the well-kept road. At length, early one afternoon, they alighted +at a small inn, where they resolved to remain for a day or two, that +they might become better acquainted with the country and its inhabitants +than they could be either by gliding through it on board a +_Trek-Schuit_, or galloping along the road in a vehicle. + +"Now," said the Baron, after he and the Count had satisfied the cravings +of the inner man, "let us go forth in search of adventures." They +walked along arm-in-arm, as was their wont, looking about them. + +"Ah, what do I see!" exclaimed the Count. "A pretty villa, embowered by +trees! a rarity in these regions. I wonder whether the inhabitants are +as attractive as their residence: so lovely a spot may be the abode of +the most graceful of sylphs. Even at this distance we can see what +pretty creepers adorn its trellised porch; how green the lawn, how +bright are the flowers; and see, yonder, how the blue river dotted by +white sails sparkles in the sunlight!" + +"Ah, very beautiful, but I should not be surprised to find it inhabited +by some stout double-fisted Vrouw or surly old bachelor," said the +Baron. + +The Count and the Baron walked on till they reached the garden, which +was separated from the road by a light paling. On more level ground it +would have been by a moat or ditch. + +"Ah!" exclaimed the Count. "My dear Baron, there are two young ladies +seated among the roses, charming and graceful, instead of the old Vrouw +you predicted we should find; and there is a little girl with her doll +on the grass, and in the porch I see an elderly lady with a young boy. +What a beautiful family picture!" + +"Ah! but do you not observe that elderly gentleman with spectacles, +smoking his pipe," said the Baron, as they advanced a few steps, and the +individual spoken of came into sight. "He regards us with no friendly +gaze through those spectacles of his, as if he already looked on us with +suspicion." + +"We will hope that his thoughts are of a more amiable character," said +the Count. "At all events, let us approach, and show him that we are +worthy of any attentions he may be disposed to bestow on us." + +"Come along, then; bashfulness is not among the list of my vices," said +the Baron. And together they advanced to the palings, when, +simultaneously taking off their hats, they each made a profound bow to +the two ladies, when the old gentleman, with spectacles on his nose and +pipe in his hand, standing near the flower basket, turned round his head +and regarded them with an inquiring glance. + +"This is my friend, Count Funnibos," said the Baron; whereon the Count, +making another bow towards the old gentleman with the spectacles, said, +"And this is my friend and travelling companion, Baron Stilkin," on +which the Baron made a bow towards the old gentleman in spectacles and +another towards the young ladies seated among the roses, who gracefully +bent their heads in recognition of the compliment. The old gentleman, +not to be outdone in civility, advancing a few paces, made two polite +bows in return. + +"Come, we have produced some impression," whispered the Baron to the +Count. "We must not let the grass grow under our feet. I will speak to +them. Most excellent and esteemed Mynheer," he said, "Count Funnibos +and I are travellers round the world, imbued with a desire to see +everything interesting, beautiful, wonderful, and strange on our way, +and especially the habits and customs of the inhabitants of the +countries we visit. We shall therefore esteem it a favour if you will +allow us to make your acquaintance, and that of your charming family. +Those young ladies are, I presume, your daughters, and your excellent +Vrouw, seated under the porch, is, I conclude, affording instruction to +one of the younger members of your family." + +"You are perfectly right, Mynheers. As you have announced you names, I +am bound to inform you that mine is Hartog Van Arent, those three ladies +are my daughters, and the elder lady is my Vrouw, to whom I shall have +the happiness of introducing you if you will come through the gate you +will find a little further on near the house." + +Again the Count and Baron bowed, and expressed the honour they should +feel at being introduced to the Vrouw Van Arent and her charming +daughters. The young ladies, on hearing this, smiled sweetly, and +rising from their seats approached the house to be in readiness to be +introduced to the strangers. The Vrouw welcomed them cordially, as +Dutch ladies are accustomed to receive guests, and the young ladies were +not behind their mother in that respect, while the little girl ran up +with her doll, which she held up to be admired, thinking more of it than +herself. In a few minutes the Count and the Baron made themselves +perfectly at home, as if they had known the family all their lives. +Mynheer Van Arent invited them to enter the house, and after partaking +of an early supper, they spent a pleasant evening. The young ladies +played the piano and sang, if not artistically, with sweet voices, so +that the Count and the Baron professed themselves completely captivated. +They were considering it time to take their departure, when another +guest was announced, and a gentleman entered who was received by Mynheer +Van Arent and his Vrouw in as cordial a manner as they had been. He was +introduced to the Count and the Baron as Mynheer Bunckum. He made them +a somewhat stiff bow, which they returned with, their usual politeness. +He evidently was taking great pains to make himself agreeable to the +young ladies, who seemed, however, not over-inclined to encourage his +attentions. + +At last, pulling out his watch, he observed that it was getting late, +looking at the Count and the Baron at the same time as a hint to them to +take their departure; but they waited till he had made his bow and +retired, then, after some more agreeable conversation, they also bowed +themselves out of the house. + +"Truly," observed the Count, "this has been the pleasantest evening we +have spent since we started on our travels." + +"So pleasant that I presume you will wish to spend some more of the same +character," remarked the Baron. + +"Indeed I do," said the Count. "For, to confess the truth, I have lost +my heart." + +"Have you, indeed!" exclaimed the Baron. "To which of the fair ladies, +may I ask?" + +"That remains as yet a secret unknown to myself," said the Count. "They +are both so charming." + +"Pray, as soon as you can discover the secret, do not conceal it from +me," said the Baron. "I have particular reasons for asking." + +All this time they were not aware that they were closely followed by +some one, who must have heard every word they said. Suddenly the sound +of a footfall reached their ears, and turning they saw a figure, who, +finding that he was discovered, rapidly retreated. + +"Stop!" cried the Count, "whoever you are; we wish to have a few words +with you." + +"Stop, I say!" repeated the Baron. But their shouts were unheeded, and +neither of them felt inclined to give chase. + +"Who can that be?" asked the Count. + +"That is the question," answered the Baron. "What do you say to Mynheer +Bunckum? He cast a jealous eye at us, as if he considered we were +rivals." + +"Then he should have come up and spoken to us like a man," said the +Count. "We must be on our guard, at all events, for he evidently has no +friendly feeling towards us." + +The Count and the Baron met with no further adventures till they reached +the inn. + + + +CHAPTER TWELVE. + +The next morning the Count and the Baron rose from their downy slumbers +and took breakfast, to which the Baron paid due attention, as he did, in +truth, to all his meals. + +"Now, my dear Baron, what do you say--shall we continue our journey, or +again pay our respects to the estimable family of Van Arent?" asked the +Count. + +"At this hour, I fear, from what I know of the habits of the people, +that our visit would not be welcome," said the Baron. "The young ladies +are probably engaged in milking the cows, or making butter, or +superintending the manufacture of cheese. We should catch them in their +working-dresses, and be considered intruders." + +"Then the best thing we can do is to sally forth and see the country," +said the Count. "But yet I should not like to leave this part of it +without again having the happiness of basking in the smiles of those +charming young ladies, Vrouw Margaret and Vrouw Isabelle." + +"I think you may be content with basking in the smiles of one of the +two," remarked the Baron, "I flatter myself that the smiles of the other +are directed towards me." + +"We won't quarrel on the matter," said the Count, who greatly disliked +to dispute. "I was going to tell you that I have an idea." + +"Have you, indeed!" exclaimed the Baron. "It is not often you indulge +in anything of the sort, tray let me know what it is." + +"My idea is this," said the Count. "You know that I am an exquisite +player on the violin, though I did not bring one with me; for I might +have been mistaken, had I done so, for an itinerant musician. The idea +that has occurred to me is that I will purchase one, so that I may be +able to accompany the fair Vrouws when they play the piano. They are +sure to be delighted, and I shall be raised still higher in their good +graces." + +"You are only thinking of yourself," muttered the Baron. "But suppose," +he added aloud, "no violin is to be found in this rural district, how +can you obtain one?" + +"I propose that we proceed to the nearest town, where such instruments +are sure to be on sale; and we can return by the evening, when we are +more likely to be admitted into Mynheer Van Arent's family circle," said +the Count. "You, Baron, surely play on some instrument, and you might +obtain it at the same time." + +"The only instruments I play are the Jew's harp and the kettle-drum, and +I am afraid that neither are very well suited to entertain ladies in +their drawing-room," said the Baron. + +"Not exactly. The latter would be rather too cumbersome to carry +about," said the Count. "However, let us set forth, or we shall not +have time to return before the evening." Fortunately they found a +_Trek-Schuit_ just starting for the far-famed town of Sneek. + +Occasionally the boat passed between some of the small towns and +villages they had seen afar off, composed of neat houses with yellow and +blue blinds. The housewives, in golden casques, the usual headdress, +standing at the doors often exhibited a bright copper jug glistening in +the sun. The travellers frequently passed numerous boats, the men on +board of which saluted them politely. They appeared good-natured, happy +fellows, with ruddy countenances, light hair, and rings hanging to their +ears. They were mostly dressed in red shirts, blue and white +knickerbockers fastened at the knee, and thick brown woollen stockings. +The boat, as she glided on, was generally accompanied by sea-gulls, +storks with long legs and outstretched necks, flights of lapwings, and +other species of the feathered tribe, uttering their plaintive cries, +and ever and anon as they skimmed the waves diving below the water to +bring some hapless fish in their long slender beaks. + +"Here we are," cried the Count, as they glided into the picturesque +little town of Sneek, with its houses of white woodwork and painted +window-frames, its winding streets and high-arched bridges, its trees +and shady walks along the canals, its gaily-painted canal-boats, and its +picturesque water-gate. The town itself was soon inspected, while the +Count and the Baron on their way made inquiries for the instrument the +former was anxious to purchase. They were almost giving up the search +in despair, when they heard of a manufacturer who was said to have +produced violins which, in the hands of an artist, were capable of +giving forth such touching sounds that many who heard them were moved to +tears. + +"That is just the description of instrument I require," exclaimed the +Count. + +He and the Baron hastened on to the shop of the manufacturer. It was an +ancient building, the front of which looked as if, before long, it would +become acquainted with the roadway. There were not only violins, but +other musical instruments and curiosities of all sorts. + +"Before I part with the violin I must hear you play," said the vendor; +"I never allow my instruments to go into unskilled hands." + +The Count eagerly took the violin, and played a few notes. The Baron +produced his pocket-handkerchief, and placed it to his eyes. + +"Touching, very touching!" he exclaimed. + +"You will do," said the vendor. + +The Count, well pleased with his purchase, asked the Baron if he could +find any instrument to suit him. + +The Baron shook his head, mournfully. "I must depend on my voice; and, +provided I do not catch a cold, that will, I hope, produce as much +effect as your fiddle." + +"We shall see," said the Count. + +Leaving the shop, they hastened back to the _Trek-Schuit_, which was +about to return the way they had come. The journey occupied so long a +time that the shades of evening were already stealing over the landscape +when they reached their inn. Though the Count was eager at once to set +out for the house of Mynheer Van Arent, the Baron declared that, without +his supper, he could not sing at all. By the time that was finished it +was dark. + +"Now," said the Count, "let us go; even for you, Baron, I cannot wait +longer." + +The Count, of course, carried his violin. + +"As it is too late to present ourselves, we will remain outside among +the trees. You shall play an air, and I will sing a song, and we will +then go in and ascertain the effect," said the Baron. + +They soon got to a part of the shrubbery where they could effectually +conceal themselves. Overhead they observed a tall tree--one of the +branches of which extended to the walls of the house. + +"Now," whispered the Baron, "shall I sing, or will you commence an air +on your violin?" + +"I will begin," said the Count, who was on the point of drawing the bow +across the strings, when the Baron grasped his arm. + +"Hark!" he said; "look up there." + +What was their astonishment to observe a figure climbing the ancient +tree they had remarked close above them. They, at all events, had not +been discovered. Higher and higher the person climbed, till he gained a +bough extending towards the house. Along it he made his way. When near +the end, he stopped and threw several pieces of a branch he broke off +against the shutter of a window, which was at no great distance from +where he stood. + +The Count, thus interrupted in his intended serenade, with jealous eyes +watched the proceedings of the stranger, fully expecting that either +Vrouw Margaret or Vrouw Isabelle would appear at the window. At length +it opened, when, instead, the more portly form of Vrouw Van Arent +herself came into view. She gazed with open eyes at the stranger +standing up on the bough of the tree. + +"Who are you, who thus, in so unseemly a way, ventures to disturb the +quiet of our abode?" she asked, in somewhat angry tones. + +"Hist, hist, Vrouw Van Arent! I am Ten Dick Bunckum. Not wishing to +appear in the presence of your fair daughters, I have taken this method +of warning you of a danger which threatens your family. Yesterday +evening two persons were received in your house, who pretend to be a +Count and a Baron. I have strong evidence, if not proof positive, that +they are strolling musicians, who are travelling about the country to +prey on the unwary. My great desire is to put you on your guard against +them." + +"I am much obliged to you for your good intentions, Mynheer Bunckum, but +would rather you had taken some other method of warning me, instead of +throwing sticks at this window." + +"I could not tell whether those pretended Count and Baron were already +in your house; and, as my object was to avoid meeting them, I climbed +into this tree that I might wait till I saw you approach the window." + +"The Count and Baron have not come to the house this evening, and I +would advise you, Mynheer Bunckum, to descend from your perilous +position, and allow my husband and me to arrange our family affairs as +we think right and best; and I must again beg you to get off that tree, +and take care, as you do so, that you do not fall down and break your +neck." + +"I obey you, Vrouw Van Arent," answered Mynheer Bunckum, cautiously +retracing his steps along the branch, while the lady of the mansion shut +the window, and closed the shutter over it, which completely excluded +the light. + +The Count and the Baron meantime waited in their place of concealment, +fully believing that Mynheer Bunckum, on reaching the ground, would +discover them. They had no wish that he should do this, as it would +show him that they were aware of his malignant designs. They therefore +drew close under the bushes, scarcely venturing to to breathe. They +could hear him, as he reached the ground, threatening vengeance on their +heads. He passed so close to them that the Baron, by catching hold of +his leg, might have tripped him up, and punished him for his false +accusations; but they wisely allowed him to go on, as they considered +that such a proceeding would not be calculated to raise them in the +estimation of Mynheer Van Arent and his family. They waited till he had +got to some distance when, coming out of their place of concealment, +they followed him to ascertain in what direction he was going. He was +evidently too much put out to venture that evening into the presence of +the ladies. + +On the way to their inn they naturally looked about them to the right +hand and to the left, as well as occasionally behind, to be certain that +their jealous rival, as they considered Mynheer Bunckum, was not +following them. He all the time was engaged in forming a design against +their liberties of which they had no notion. On reaching the inn, they +found a note on pink paper in a delicate female hand purporting to come +from Mynheer Van Arent, inviting them to accompany his family to a +picnic on the banks of the Meer on the following morning. + +"By all means we will go," exclaimed the Count. "I will take my violin, +and who knows what may happen." + +In the course of conversation they made inquiries about the various +people in the neighbourhood of the landlady, whose good graces they had +won. + +"What sort of a person is Mynheer Bunckum?" asked the Count. + +"He owns the castle of Wykel, not far from this. It is said that he is +trying to win the hand of one of the daughters of Mynheer Van Arent, but +whether or not he will gain her is a question. I desire to put you on +your guard against him, Mynheers, for he is not a man to be trifled +with." Proceeding at an early hour the next morning to the house of +Mynheer Van Arent, they found the family prepared for their excursion. +The distance to the lake was not great, and on reaching the pier, +running out a short distance into the shallow water, a large boat of +substantial build was seen alongside. She of course was round-sterned, +drawing but little water, but had tolerably sharp bows; her poop was +gilded and carved, as was her stern, while every part was either +varnished or brilliantly coloured. She was indeed the family yacht. +Instead of white canvas her sails were of a dark red hue, though of fine +material; she had a comfortably fitted-up cabin, with every luxury on +board. Numberless other vessels, broad and shallow, were sailing here +and there over the lake, their sails either red brick or +saffron-coloured, reflected on the violet-tinted waters, which +contrasted with the silvery hue of the sky, and a green ribbon of land +bordering the lake. These flat-bottomed, bulging round vessels were +employed in distributing the produce of the neighbouring farms to all +parts of the country around. + +A short sail on board the yacht took the party to the point which had +been selected for their picnic, at which other yachts of a similar +construction quickly arrived, and the viands they had brought were then +carried on shore, and spread under the shade of the trees. Mynheer +Bunckum before long made his appearance, looking gloomy and morose, as +he observed the strangers. The Count and the Baron were introduced to a +number of persons, who did their best to make themselves agreeable. The +feast having concluded, at which if there was not much wit there was a +great deal of laughter, the party retreated to a more shady spot, where +the Count was requested to favour them with an air on his violin. He +gladly complied, and elicited general applause, greatly to the annoyance +of Mynheer Bunckum, who, getting up, retired to a distance, and sat +himself down, fishing-rod in hand, on a point which projected into the +lake, as if such music was not worth listening to. + +Meantime a boat had arrived on the beach containing three or four +urchins from a neighbouring village, one of whom climbed up on a bank +overlooking the spots where the party were collected, and the dinner +cloth was spread. He had so placed himself that he could make a signal +to his companions: two of these shortly afterwards getting out of their +boat, and seeing him beckon, cautiously crept along the shore towards +where the party had been enjoying their meal. There was no doubt about +their object: they filled not only their capacious pockets, but some +large handkerchiefs which they had brought, with everything on which +they could lay their hands, especially the silver spoons and forks and +other plate. Then at a sign from their companion they rapidly +retreated, he quickly following, unnoticed by Mynheer Bunckum or any one +else. On reaching their boat, away they pulled with their booty, and +were soon out of sight. The Baron and two or three other gentlemen, +whose appetites had not been fully satisfied, returned shortly after +this to the table, if so it could be called, and though they observed +that some of the things had been disarranged, it did not occur to them +that the spot had been visited by robbers. The Baron was the last to +leave and return to the ladies. Not till the servants came to pack up +the plates and dishes, and knives and forks, was the robbery discovered. +Just then Mynheer Bunckum, who had got tired of fishing, and had +returned to the table, on hearing that several articles were missing, +exclaimed: + +"I know who is the robber, I saw what that Baron was about. I shall now +be able to prove that my suspicions were correct!" + +He, however, made no further remark at the time, so that the harmony +which had prevailed during the picnic was not disturbed. On the +approach of evening the various parties separated to their different +homes. The Count and the Baron accompanied Mynheer Van Arent and his +family to theirs, whence after a friendly farewell they returned to +their inn. + + + +CHAPTER THIRTEEN. + +The day following the picnic on the Meer, the Count and the Baron set +out to pay a visit to the Van Arent family. As yet, however, they could +not tell whether the courteous treatment they had received was simply +owing to their being strangers of rank. The Count fancied that his +performances on the violin, and the Baron supposed that his fascinating +powers of conversation, and other attractive qualities, had something to +do with it. On reaching the house they were told that the ladies had +gone to take a walk at some distance. + +"Perhaps we may meet them," said the Count to the Baron. + +They inquired of the servant in what direction the ladies had gone. He +pointed to the northward, and they set out; they walked on and on till +they arrived at a wood, such as is not often found in that part of the +country, and they observed an ancient tower with battlements rising up +amid the trees. + +"This looks like an interesting place," observed the Count, "let us +explore it." + +"By all means," answered the Baron. And they walked on with that air of +curiosity generally exhibited by strangers when arriving at a place +worth seeing. + +"Fine trees and shady walks, really my castle scarcely exhibits anything +finer; if I marry the fair Isabelle, it's just the sort of place I +should like to possess; but we may pay it a hurried visit," said the +Count. + +"Then it is the Vrouw Isabelle on whom your regards are fixed?" observed +the Baron. + +"It was but a slip of my tongue," said the Count. "I did not intend to +betray my secret." + +"All right, my dear Count; to say the truth, my heart has been +captivated by the Vrouw Margaret, so that we shall not be rivals." + +"That is a fortunate circumstance," observed the Count, in a somewhat +supercilious tone. "However, you must remember that we, both of us, +have to ascertain the feelings of the ladies; at present we are left +somewhat in the dark on that subject." + +"I cannot say that I think so," answered the Baron, drawing up his +shirt-collar. "I flatter myself that the Vrouw Margaret regards me with +peculiar distinction." + +"Did I possess more vanity in this case, I might have said the same with +regard to Vrouw Isabelle," said the Count. + +"You do, do you!" exclaimed a voice from among the bushes, which made +the Count and the Baron start. + +"Who could that have been?" exclaimed the Count. + +"Where did it come from?" cried the Baron. + +"Let us try to discover the eavesdropper," said the Count. + +"We had better not," whispered the Baron. "Depend upon it the person, +whoever he is, is prepared for us. We had better move on, and not in +future talk so loudly of our private affairs." + +"Your advice is good," said the Count; "we will follow it." + +And they moved on a short distance, paying much less attention than +before to the beauties of the scenery. They had just reached the +neighbourhood of what appeared to be an old summer-house, now neglected +and disused, for it was thickly overgrown with ivy and various creepers. +Looking up close to it they observed a board, on which was painted in +large letters, "Whoever is found trespassing in these grounds will be +punished with the utmost rigour of the law." Scarcely had they read +this unpleasant announcement, when they observed at the farther end of +the walk a party of men, who from their costume were evidently huntsmen +or gamekeepers, led by a person whom they recognised at a glance as +Mynheer Bunckum, their jealous rival. + +"There are the robbers! There are the impostors! There are those +thieves and vagabonds, who have come here pretending to be noblemen +travelling for their pleasure. On! on! seize them, my men! treat them +with no ceremony." + +Mynheer Bunckum, though he shouted, did not move himself, and his +followers appeared to hesitate for a few moments. This gave time to the +Count and Baron to retreat behind the summer-house. + +"Come along, Count, we must trust to our legs to escape from these +fellows," cried the Baron, and he set off running as fast as he could +go. + +"Stop! stop!" cried the Count. "You will be seen to a certainty and +overtaken; come in here, I perceive an opening, and we shall be able to +lie hid, while our jealous rival passes by." + +The Baron, however, did not hear him, but still rushed on. + +"I shall be seen if I attempt to run," thought the Count. Without more +ado he slipped through an opening in the side of the wall, in his hurry +forgetting to feel his way. He had made but a few steps when, to his +dismay, he found himself descending, and fully believed that he was +about to be precipitated down a well. Greatly to his relief he reached +the bottom sooner than he had expected. + +"Here, at all events, I shall be secure while our jealous rival and his +men are hunting about for me; but I am afraid the Baron has very little +chance of escaping. I might have got into rather a pleasanter place; it +is somewhat damp; I hear the frogs croaking, and feel the slippery efts +and other creatures crawling about. I only hope that there are no +venomous snakes; but, by the by, how am I ever to get out again? We +should have acted more wisely had we walked up boldly to Mynheer +Bunckum, and apologising for having entered his grounds, wished him good +morning. It is entirely owing to the Baron's cowardice that I am placed +in this very unpleasant position." + +Such were the thoughts which passed through the Count's mind, for he did +not speak them aloud. He heard the voices of Mynheer Bunckum and his +men, as they searched round and round the building, but none of them +looked into the well, or if they did, failed to discover him. At +length, to his great relief, their voices grew less and less distinct, +and he was satisfied that they were moving on. + +"At all events this delay will have enabled the Baron to make his +escape, and I hope that by and by, when these people have given up the +search, I shall be able to rejoin him," he thought. + +Meantime the Baron had continued his course. Not being much accustomed +to running, he soon began to puff and blow, and wish that he could find +some place in which to hide himself, and recover his wind. Instead of +taking the direct path along which he and the Count had come, rightly +suspecting that if he did so he should quickly be observed, he turned +aside to a wilder part of the wood; he stopped every now and then to try +and recover his breath, and to ascertain if the Count was following. +Having no landmark to direct him, he completely lost himself, and became +very uncertain whether he was making his way out of the wood, or only +getting further into it. + +"It was very selfish and unmannerly in Count Funnibos not to accompany +me," he said to himself. "We might have helped each other out of this +difficulty; and, indeed, at any moment Mynheer Bunckum and his myrmidons +may overtake me, and in the vicious mood they are in, I do not know how +I shall be treated. Ah! there I see a large hollow tree. Yes, there is +an opening at the bottom, I will creep in and try to conceal myself +within the stem till the hue and cry is over." + +Suiting the action to the word, the Baron knelt down, and was about to +crawl into the opening when he saw a movement of the bushes at a little +distance off, and presently a head popped up above them. + +"I hope that I was not observed," he thought, and he quickly crawled in +at the hole, unfortunately, as he did so, knocking off his hat, which +rolled away on one side; he dared not crawl out again to look for it, +and could only hope that it would be concealed by the tall grass and +underwood which grew around. The Baron stood trembling and quaking in +his boots, every moment expecting to be discovered, while he felt sure +that the face of which he had caught a glimpse was no other than that of +the jealous rival. + +He listened anxiously; he could hear the cracking of the boughs, and +then the sound of footsteps approaching. Nearer and nearer drew the +footsteps; presently he heard an exclamation of surprise. + +"Why, this is the hat of one of them," said a voice. + +"Yes; it is that of the fat, ridiculous little man who pretended to be a +Baron," answered a female voice. + +Was it possible? Yes, the Baron felt sure that the voice was that of +the fair Vrouw Margaret on whom he had placed his affections. + +"Little doubt whose hat it is," observed the first speaker. "Very +likely his pockets are even now full of your father's and Mynheer +Baskerville's plate. What shall we do with him if we catch him?" + +"I must leave him to your tender mercies," said Vrouw Margaret. "As he +deceived us so grossly I cannot plead for him. Punish him as you think +fit, and then let him go, if he will promise not to come near our house +again." + +"We have not caught him yet, though," observed Mynheer Bunckum. "But +here come my men, and we'll make a thorough search in the +neighbourhood." + +The Baron at this trembled more and more; while Mynheer Bunckum and +Vrouw Margaret were speaking he heard several other persons approaching, +who had, he judged by the remarks they let fall, been searching in vain +for the Count. No one seemed to remark the hole in the tree; indeed, +probably judging by the Baron's figure, they did not suppose that he +could have crawled into it. + +"The chances are the two went off together," remarked one of the +keepers, "and by this time they are well out of the park." + +"But what about this head-piece?" said Mynheer Bunckum, holding up the +Baron's hat. + +"He may have dropped it in his flight," said the keeper. + +"If that is the case, we ought to be still pursuing them," said Mynheer +Bunckum. "On, my men, and bring them back to me dead or alive! Come, +Vrouw Margaret, we will continue our ramble; really, it is scarcely +worth while to take so much trouble about the capture of these +contemptible people, were it not to recover your father's and Mynheer +Baskerville's plate." + +They had gone but a short distance when they observed one of the keepers +returning. + +"I must hurry on the others," said Mynheer Bunckum. "Stay but a moment, +my fair Vrouw, and I will return to you," he said, and hastened away. + +Just then a shout fell on the ear of Vrouw Margaret, and she made her +way in the direction from which it proceeded, when looking over the +bushes she caught sight of the keeper dragging on the unfortunate Baron +by the collar of his coat. The keeper was a knowing fellow, a strong, +sturdy Frieslander. Suddenly it struck him that the Baron, in spite of +his rotund figure, might have crept into the hole at the bottom of the +old oak; and as the Baron's hat had been found near it, he divined, and +truly, that it had been knocked off while the Baron was creeping in. He +accordingly had gone back for the purpose of ascertaining whether his +suspicions were correct. Putting in his hand, he felt one leg, then he +felt another. The Baron in vain tried to draw them up out of the way; +the sturdy Frieslander hauled and hauled much in the same way as he +would have pulled a snake out of its hole, and dragged the hapless Baron +out of the hollow tree. + +"I have got you, Mynheer, have I?" he said, looking at the Baron's pale +countenance. "Why did you hide? Honest men do not try to conceal +themselves. Come along, and answer for yourself to Mynheer Bunckum, and +tell us what has become of your companion." + +The Baron was too much alarmed to reply or to offer any resistance; +indeed, in the grasp of the sturdy Frieslander it would have been +useless, so like a lamb he accompanied his captor. Suddenly, however, +he saw a fair face looking over the bushes--it was that of the Vrouw +Margaret. The sight aroused all the manhood within him; he knew himself +to be innocent, he knew that the treatment he was receiving was owing to +the ill-feeling of a jealous rival. He determined to show that he would +not submit tamely to be ill-treated, and suddenly starting forward he +endeavoured to free himself from the grasp of his captor. A fatal +resolution--the Frieslander in a moment tripped up his heels, and down +he fell with his face on the ground, while the Frieslander knelt over +him exclaiming-- + +"You will escape me, will you! you are mistaken, Mynheer;" and, his +anger aroused, seizing the Baron by the hair, he rubbed his face in the +muddy ground. + +In vain the Baron tried to free himself, in vain he tried to cry out; +the moment he opened his mouth, down went his face again into the mud +till he was well-nigh suffocated. + +"Will not you, Vrouw Margaret, have pity on me? Will you not interfere +to save me from this cruel indignity?" he exclaimed, but the Vrouw +Margaret calmly watched the proceedings of the sturdy Frieslander as if +she highly approved of them. + +"Will you go along quietly?" asked the Frieslander, after he had +subjected the Baron for some minutes to this disagreeable treatment. +"Say `yes,' or `no;' for, if you say `no,' be prepared for another +mouthful of mud." + +"Yes, yes; I will go!" cried the Baron, the conduct of the fair Vrouw +cutting him to the heart. + +"Well, then, I will let you get up; but remember, the instant you +attempt to release yourself, down you go again, and perhaps in a less +pleasant place than the last." Saying this the sturdy Frieslander +placed the Baron on his legs. + +"Come, you must wash the mud off your face in yonder pool," said the +Frieslander, "for you look more ridiculous than you can well imagine." + +The Baron accepted his captor's offer, for not only his mouth and +nostrils, but his very eyes were filled with mud. + +"Come, you look a little less ridiculous now," said the Frieslander with +a taunting laugh, as he led the Baron past the spot where, Vrouw +Margaret was standing. In vain the Baron stretched out his hands and +entreated her to plead for him, but she turned aside her head, and his +captor dragged him along till they met Mynheer Bunckum and the rest of +his men. + +"I have got one of them!" cried the Frieslander. "What is to be done +with him? I have not yet examined his pockets, so cannot say whether +the stolen plate is in them." + +"We will soon ascertain that," said Mynheer Bunckum. + +The unfortunate Baron Stilkin was subjected to the indignity of being +searched. Only such ordinary things as a gentleman carries about with +him were discovered in the Baron's pockets, but certainly no silver +forks or spoons. + +"And where is your companion?" asked Mynheer Bunckum in an authoritative +tone. + +"I know no more than the man in the moon. I parted from him when we +read the notice that trespassers on this estate would be prosecuted; +till then we did not know that we were trespassing, but on discovering +that such was the case, we were retiring when, your shouts alarming us, +we proceeded farther than we should otherwise have done." + +"Then you say you know nothing about the so-called Count Funnibos?" + +"I know nothing about the real Count Funnibos, for real he is, as I am a +real Baron!" cried the ill-treated noble, his spirits rising once more. +"I conclude that he is by this time out of these grounds, and on his way +to the inn where we are residing; and I must beg you to understand, +Mynheer, that we shall forthwith proceed to the Hague, and lay a formal +complaint before our Ambassador of the way in which we distinguished +foreigners have been treated." + +"I will take the consequences," answered Mynheer Bunckum; and turning to +his servants, he said, "We have no evidence against the man; conduct him +to the confines of the estate, and with such kicks as you feel disposed +to bestow, let him go his way." + +"I protest, I loudly protest against this treatment!" cried the Baron. + +But the sturdy Frieslander with his companions, utterly regardless of +all the Baron could say, dragged him along till they reached the +outskirts of the estate, when, placing him before them, they bade him +run for his life, which to the best of his power he endeavoured to do to +save himself from the kicks they had threatened to bestow. On he ran, +not once looking behind him, followed by the derisive laughter of the +sturdy Frieslander and his companions. + + + +CHAPTER FOURTEEN. + +Mynheer Bunckum's head butler or steward, a person who was looked upon +with great respect on account of the embroidered coat he wore, was +passing, shortly after the events narrated in our last chapter, the +ruined building in which the Count, unable to release himself, still lay +concealed, when a groan reached his ear. Not being a believer in ghosts +or goblins, on hearing it he exclaimed, "Oh, oh! that's a human voice; +somebody must have tumbled down the well. Whoever that somebody is, I +will get him out; but how that is to be done is the question." He +hunted about till he discovered a hay-rake with a long handle. "This +will serve me as a fishing-rod, and I should not be surprised to find a +fish at the end of it." The steward accordingly went to an opening in +the wall just above the well; he plunged down the rake and quickly +brought it up without anything at the end. "I must try again," he said, +and he passed it round the wall. "I have got something now," he +exclaimed, and he began to haul away. "A heavy fish at all events," he +cried out. Though a muscular man, as most Frieslanders are, he had a +hard job to haul up the rake. At last, stooping down, his hand came in +contact with the collar of a man's coat. He hauled and hauled away; his +rake had caught in the hyacinthine locks of Count Funnibos, whose +countenance of a cadaverous hue now came in sight. + +"Ho, ho!" cried the steward. "Who are you, may I ask?" + +The Count was too much exhausted and alarmed to make any answer, and +even when the steward set him on his legs, he had to lean against the +ivied wall to support himself. + +"You are the person, I have a notion, who has been giving us all this +trouble," said the steward, looking the Count in the face. "If so, come +along with me, and my master, Mynheer Bunckum, will know what to say to +you." + +"I had no intention of giving you or any one else any trouble," answered +the Count, when he at last found words to express himself. "I am much +obliged to you for pulling me out of that dreadful hole, and shall be +still further obliged if you will brush my clothes, and then conduct me +through these grounds so that I may return to my hotel, which I am +anxious to reach this evening." + +The steward on hearing this, instead of acceding to the Count's request, +burst into a loud fit of laughter. + +"Ho, ho, ho! Very likely indeed," he answered. "You must come along +with me into the presence of Mynheer Bunckum, and he will settle how to +dispose of you." + +"But I have no wish to see Mynheer Bunckum," said the Count; "indeed, I +have a decided objection to do so. He has allowed the most unjust +suspicions to take possession of his mind." + +"I care not a pin for your objections," said the steward. "Come along +with me, I can waste no further time: come along, I say;" and the +steward laying hold of the Count by one arm, and the collar of his coat +with the other hand, walked him along the path towards the castle in the +fashion policemen are wont to treat offenders in the streets of London. +The Count was too weak from hunger, alarm, and fatigue to offer any +resistance, and allowed himself to be conducted in the direction the +steward chose to go. They soon reached the castle; the steward, on +inquiring for Mynheer Bunckum, was informed that he had gone out with +the fair daughters of Mynheer Van Arent. + +"Then there is but one thing to be done," observed the steward. "We +must lock up this stranger in the dungeon till our master returns. +Where are the keys?" They were quickly brought to him, and aided by the +domestics of the establishment, he led the Count down a flight of stone +steps to the dungeon. + +"My friend," said the Count, who was beginning to recover, "this is very +extraordinary treatment, but I presume you are acting under orders. I +have a request to make. I am very hungry, and shall feel grateful if +you will bring me some food; and, as I scarcely know otherwise how to +pass the period of my incarceration, I shall be still further obliged if +you will supply me with a violin, should you have such an instrument in +the castle." + +"Ho, ho, ho!" laughed the steward. "Then you are a strolling musician, +as we have heard it reported. Well, we happen to have a violin, for I +play it myself, and you shall be supplied with food, as I conclude +Mynheer Bunckum would not wish to starve you to death." + +"Thank you, my good friend, I am much obliged to you for your promise; +at the same time, I beg leave to remark that I am not a strolling +musician, but am as I represent myself, Count Funnibos." + +"That is neither here nor there," said the steward, "you shall have the +food and you shall have the violin; now please go down those steps, and +make yourself as much at home as you like." + +Finding resistance useless, the Count descended the steps into a large +vaulted chamber, which appeared from the contents on which the light +fell through the open door, to be used as a lumber-room or store-room +rather than as a prison. + +"Is this a fit place in which to thrust a gentleman?" said the Count, +feeling his dignity considerably hurt. "Had it been a dungeon, with +chains and bolts and bars, it would have been only such as many an +unfortunate nobleman has been compelled to inhabit. But to be treated +as if I were a piece of lumber is unbearable." + +"We have no such refined opinions in this country, Mynheer," said the +steward, with a grin on his countenance. "But make yourself happy, +there is a chest for you to sit on and another on which your supper +shall be placed. As to your bed and bedding we will see about that +by-and-by, and the violin you ask for shall be brought forthwith. +Perhaps in return you will favour me with a tune, as I am a lover of +music, and shall be pleased to hear you play." + +The Count, who, though not very wise in all matters, made the best of +everything, sat himself down on the chest with folded arms to consider +how, under the disagreeable circumstances in which he was placed, it +would be best to act. "One thing is very clear, that Mynheer Bunckum +has got the upper hand of me. The best thing I can do as soon as I +obtain my liberty is to take my departure. The fair Isabelle may or may +not care a stiver for me, and if she does not I must wish her farewell +and try to forget her charms." + +Just as he had arrived at this wise resolution the door opened, and the +steward reappeared with a violin in his hand, followed by a servant +bringing a very respectable supper. + +"Thank you, my friend, thank you," said the Count, getting up; "I should +be happy to show you my gratitude at once by playing a tune, but I think +that I shall play with more spirit after I have partaken of this food, +for, as you may suppose, I am pretty well starved." + +"I shall be happy to await your pleasure," said the steward, who was +struck by the Count's polite manner, and lifting up the dish-covers he +helped him liberally to the contents of the dishes. The Count, +considering all things, did ample justice to the meal set before him, as +well as to a bottle of Rhenish wine. + +"I might have been worse off," he observed, greatly revived. "And now +you shall have a tune." + +Whereon, taking the fiddle and screwing up the keys, he began to play in +a way which astonished the Friesian steward. + +"Really, you are a master of the art, Mynheer," he observed. "Such +notes have never before proceeded from that violin." + +"I am happy to please you," answered the Count, "And now I must beg you, +as soon as your master returns, to request that he will either set me at +liberty and have me conveyed safely back to my hotel, or else give me +better accommodation than this vault offers for the night." + +The steward faithfully promised to carry out the Count's wishes, and, +observing that he had duties to attend to, took his leave. The Count +then, resuming his violin, once more began to play; the tunes he chose +were such as especially suited his present feelings; they were of a +gentle, pathetic character, often mournful and touching. He played on +and on. Little was he aware who was listening to them. Could he have +looked through the thick walls of his dungeon, he would have beheld a +female form, her handkerchief to her eyes, leaning on the parapet of a +terrace which ran along one of its sides. The lady whose tender +feelings he had excited was no other than Isabelle Van Arent, who, with +her sister and father and mother, had come that afternoon to pay a visit +to Mynheer Bunckum. At length the Count ceased playing, and the lady +tore herself away from the spot to rejoin her family, to whom she could +not refrain from speaking of the pathetic music to which she had been +listening. + +"Oh, that must have been my steward, Hans Gingel. I know he plays the +fiddle," observed Mynheer Bunckum, "and he sometimes goes to some +out-of-the-way corner that he may not disturb the rest of the household, +who are not generally inclined to be enraptured by his music." + +"But he must, I assure you, be a very good player," urged the fair +Isabelle. + +"I dare say he can manage to produce a few good notes sometimes," said +Mynheer Bunckum, in a careless tone. "Probably distance lent +enchantment to the sound. I will not advise you to allow him to play +very near at hand." + +Vrouw Isabelle looked puzzled, and began to fancy that her ears had +deceived her; at all events, the Count had not obtained the advocate he +might have gained, had she known who was the hidden musician to whom she +had been listening. Mynheer Bunckum waited till his guests were gone, +when he summoned his steward, Hans Gingel. "Has anything been heard of +the other stranger?" he asked. + +"I have him safe enough in the dungeon," answered the steward. "He is +not a bad fellow after all, as he takes the way he has been treated with +wonderful good humour." And the steward described the mode in which he +had hauled the Count out of the well. "He is a rare player, too, on the +violin, and I lent him mine to amuse himself with." + +"Then it was not your music with which Vrouw Isabelle was so delighted +just now," observed Mynheer Bunckum. + +"No, no, no!" answered the steward laughing, "my strains are not +calculated to draw tears from a lady's eyes; to tell you the truth, +Mynheer, I believe he is a Count after all." + +"His playing only agrees with the story of his being a travelling +musician," observed Mynheer Bunckum. + +"But travelling musicians are not as polite and well-mannered as our +prisoner," said the steward. "I know a gentleman when I meet him." + +"But supposing he is a real Count, and the other fellow who was so +unceremoniously kicked out of the place is a Baron, I may be somewhat in +a scrape," said Mynheer Bunckum. + +"I will enable you to get out of it, then," said Hans Gingel. "Let me +visit the prisoner, and propose to him to make his escape. He has +really won my regard, and I should be glad, were it not displeasing to +you, to set him at liberty. He will only be too happy, I suspect, to +get away, and will probably not trouble you, or the family of Mynheer +Van Arent, any longer by his presence." + +"But I accused him and his companion of stealing the plate at the +picnic, and I certainly do not know who else could have taken it," said +Mynheer Bunckum. + +"As to that, I am sure he is incapable of such an act, and he would not +associate with any person who was. I am, therefore, of opinion that +neither he nor the Baron stole the plate; indeed, one of the men on +board the yacht told me that he observed a boat with several boys +approach the shore during the picnic, and that they climbed up the bank, +as he supposed, to amuse themselves by watching what was going forward, +or to obtain a few cakes or sweetmeats which any of the party might be +disposed to give them. Now, since the plate is missing, it is much more +than probable that those young monkeys took it, and, if search is made +in the village, probably it will be found that they were the thieves." + +"That alters the whole complexion of affairs," observed Mynheer Bunckum. +"I am satisfied that the Baron, if such he is, will not become my +rival, and Vrouw Isabelle is free to choose whom she will; therefore by +all means set the Count at liberty as you propose, only don't let him +know that I am aware of what you are doing, and advise him and his +companion to take their departure from this part of the country as soon +as possible." + +"I will carry out your orders, Mynheer," was the answer. The steward +waited, however, till night closed in, when, with a lantern in hand, he +repaired to the dungeon. + +"Count Funnibos," he said, "for such I believe you truly are, your +music, and your manners, and your gentle behaviour have completely won +my heart; and as I took you prisoner under what, you will allow, were +somewhat suspicious circumstances, I must give myself the privilege of +setting you free; and if you will consent to leave as I advise, you may +do so without difficulty or danger, and by to-morrow morning be far +beyond the reach of those whom you may look upon as enemies." + +The Count thought for some moments before he replied. He recollected +that he had been unjustly imprisoned, accused of robbery, and insulted +by the lord of the mansion; but it would save a vast deal of trouble to +himself and everybody else if he were to go away and let the matter +drop. He quickly, therefore, decided on the latter course. + +"I accept your offer, my friend," he answered. "When shall we set out?" + +"I would advise you, Count, to wait for some hours, till everyone is in +bed, and there is no risk of your being discovered and followed. I will +then come for you, and conduct you down to the river, where you will +find numerous boats in which you can cross the Meer, and soon make your +way to the seaboard; and thence either proceed to Amsterdam by water, or +go across the Zuyder Zee to Hoorn, or any other place on its shore." + +"Your plan just suits my fancy," said the Count. "But my friend and +companion, Baron Stilkin, what will become of him?" + +"You can write and tell him to join you at whatever place you may happen +to reach," said Hans Gingel. "It would cause considerable delay were +you to go back to your inn." + +The Count thought the matter over, and reflected that it would be very +pleasant to enjoy a few days of independent action. + +"I have an idea," he said to the steward. "I will write a note to Baron +Stilkin desiring him to return to Amsterdam, and to wait for me there, +if you will undertake to have it delivered." + +"Very gladly, Mynheer," answered Hans Gingel. "I will get you paper and +pens. Now, if you can rest in tolerable comfort propped up between +these chests, I will come for you at the hour named, and as you may grow +hungry, bring you some more food to stay your appetite." The note to +the Baron was written, the Count discussed the second supper, and, +having recovered from his fatigue, was perfectly ready, when the steward +appeared, to make his escape from the castle. + +"Tread softly," said the steward, as he led the way up the steps. "It +is important not to awaken Mynheer Bunckum or any of the servants. I +have shut up the dogs, so that they will not bark unless they hear a +noise." + +Cautiously they proceeded, the steward holding a lantern and the Count +following close at his heels. They were soon out of the dungeon, when +the steward, turning to the right, led the way along a narrow passage +which conducted them to the opposite side of the building. The steward +then, producing a key from his pocket, opened a door, the lock gliding +back smoothly as if it had been well oiled, they passed on, and the +Count found himself in the open air. + +"We are now outside the castle," whispered the steward; "but should +Mynheer Bunckum look out of his window he might perhaps fancy that we +are thieves, and fire off his blunderbuss at our heads; so be cautious, +and do not speak above a whisper till we get to a distance." + +"I am afraid that I shall not be able to find my way in the dark," +whispered the Count. + +"Do not be anxious on that subject," answered the steward. "I intend to +accompany you till day breaks, and see you safe on the high road." They +walked on and on till day began to dawn. The fresh morning air revived +the Count's spirits, and he was more than ever satisfied with himself at +the thoughts of starting on an independent tour without the company of +the Baron. + +"I will buy a gun, and a knapsack, and a telescope, and a +shooting-dress, and will trudge across the country, living on the +produce of the chase. I saw a vast number of birds as we came along on +the canals and borders of the Meers, and I shall have no lack of sport. +Such a life suits my present mood." + +"A very excellent plan," observed the steward; "but I would advise you +to employ some more rapid means of locomotion than your own legs afford +till you get to a distance from this. Mynheer Bunckum may be wandering +about in the Neighbourhood, and should he fall in with you the +consequences may be disagreeable." + +"I will take your advice, my friend," said the Count; "but I must first +procure the gun and the telescope, the knapsack and the shooting-dress." + +"Certainly, and I shall be happy to assist you in that object. We can +at once proceed to Sneek, which being one of the chief places of the +province of Friesland, everything you require can be procured." + +"I am overwhelmed by your kindness, and I accept your offer," said the +Count. And they proceeded on their way, having stopped to breakfast at +a house of a friend of the steward. + +They reached Sneek about noon. The articles the Count required were +speedily procured. + +"And now farewell, my friend," he said, taking the steward's hand. "We +are brothers of the bow, and I look upon you as a friend who has +rendered me an essential service, although you did haul me out of the +well in a somewhat rough fashion." + +The steward made an appropriate answer, and they parted--he to return to +Bunckum Castle, the Count to proceed to the southward. + + + +CHAPTER FIFTEEN. + +The Count, as evening approached, reached the borders of a Meer a short +distance from the Zuyder Zee. It was fringed by trees and by tall reeds +almost as high as the trees, which grew partly in the water and partly +out of it. "If I could find a boat I might take a passage in her to the +other side of the Meer, and thus continuing my journey obtain rest at +the same time," he thought. + +He hunted about, and at last found a path, at the further end of which +he observed a barge with her bows run into the bank. Having left his +knapsack and gun on the bank, he stepped on board, thinking that some of +the crew might appear. Seeing no one, he was again going on shore, when +the after hatch was flung open and three huge heads adorned by +nightcaps, with big staring eyes expressive of wonder, popped up, each +face being more ugly than the other. + +"Who are you?" asked the first. + +"What business have you on board here?" inquired a second. + +"Where do you come from, where do you want to go?" asked a third, the +ugliest of all three. + +"Really, gentlemen," said the Count, bowing, for he was always polite, +"you overwhelm me with questions. My object is to cross the Meer, or to +get to some inn or farmhouse where I may pass the night in comfort." + +"Ho, ho, ho!" exclaimed the last speaker. "You will not find any inn or +farmhouse where you can pass the night on the borders of this Meer, but +we'll give you a passage to the other end, for which we are bound when +we have had our suppers, always provided you are willing to pay for it." + +"Certainly," replied the Count. "I am willing to pay for everything I +obtain. Your barge looks like a very safe one, and I will therefore +engage a passage." + +"Safe! I should think she was safe," answered the ugly individual. "It +would require a gale to upset her with all sail hoisted. Trust Captain +Jan Dunck for that." + +Upon this the Count looked harder than before at the ugly man's +countenance. "What, are you Captain Jan Dunck?" he inquired. + +"No doubt about that, though I do not command so large a craft as +formerly," said the ugly man. "If I mistake not, you are Count +Funnibos, whom I, once upon a time, brought round from Antwerp, and +landed at Amsterdam." + +"No, you did not land me at Amsterdam," answered the Count; "you landed +me on the island of Marken, when you played that scurvy trick upon poor +Pieter. I thought that you had been lost." + +"So I nearly was, for the _Golden Hog_ went down, but my mate and small +ship's boy were saved. Here is one of them." + +The mate gave a wink of recognition. + +"So you want me to carry you across the lake--is that it?" continued the +skipper. + +"Such is my wish," said the Count, though, at the same time, he felt +very doubtful about trusting himself and his fortunes to Captain Jan +Dunck. + +"Well, we'll get under weigh immediately," said the skipper. "Though +there is no wind, we can pole the barge a considerable part of the +distance." + +"But I must first get my luggage, my fowling-piece, my knapsack, and +telescope," said the Count. + +"Well, be sharp about it," answered the skipper. "Time and tide wait +for no man." + +"But there is no tide in this lake, and you did not appear to be in a +hurry when I came on board," said the Count. + +"For the best of reasons, we were fast asleep," answered the skipper, as +the Count went for his luggage, which neither the skipper, the mate, nor +the crew offered to carry for him. He therefore brought it on board +himself, for he had become wonderfully independent during his travels. +He sat himself down on his knapsack, expecting that the skipper would at +once get under weigh; but that individual, instead of doing so, dived +again below, followed by his mate and his crew, to discuss some supper +which they had stowed away in a locker. + +While the Count sat awaiting the return of the skipper and his crew on +deck, he observed another boat in the distance, in which was a single +man. The person appeared to have been watching the barge, and now +cautiously approached, using a paddle, so as to make as little noise as +possible. He was apparently about to address the Count when the skipper +popped up his head, with his mouth full of food, on which the stranger +immediately began to row away in an opposite direction. + +"Hilloa, you! have you anything to say to me? If not, keep your +distance, or you will have to smart for it!" shouted the skipper. + +The stranger made no reply, but rowed slowly away, and Captain Jan Dunck +again dived into the cabin. The stranger then stopped, and made a sign +to the Count. Soon afterwards the mate and the crew, returning on deck, +cast off the rope which secured the barge to the bank, and taking up +some long spars, began to pole out into the lake, while the skipper sat +at the helm smoking his pipe. He smoked and smoked as he used to do on +board the _Golden Hog_, but did not invite the Count to join him. After +some time the water became too deep for poling, and the mate and the +crew took to their oars. The water was calm, and there appeared to be +no possibility of danger; but yet the Count did not feel altogether +comfortable. + +"And so you say that one-eyed Pieter threatened to bring me to justice?" +growled Captain Jan Dunck. + +"I said nothing of the sort," answered the Count; "I told you that the +Baron and I took one-eyed Pieter on board our boat. Had he been +drowned, you would have been guilty of his death; and you ought to be +thankful to me for saving you from committing so great a crime." + +"Ho, ho, ho!" laughed the skipper, and his mate and crew laughed in +chorus. After the crew had rowed for some time, an island appeared in +view, with dunes, or sandhills, rising over a considerable portion. It +was a barren-looking spot, as far as the Count could judge in the fast +increasing gloom of night. + +"We are going to put into the shore there," said the skipper, pointing +to it. "If you take my advice, you will land." + +"But that is not the sort of place to which I wish to go," said the +Count. "My object on board your barge was to take a passage to some +habitable region, where I could obtain food, rest, and shelter." + +"The sea-gulls will afford you plenty of food; as to rest, you can lie +down on the sand; and as for shelter, your pocket-handkerchief will +afford you as much as you are likely to find." + +"I protest against being so treated," said the Count, naturally growing +indignant. + +"To whom do you protest," asked the skipper, "to me or my crew? There's +no one else to hear you, and we do not care the snuff of a candle for +your protestations." + +The mate and the crew uttered not a word. + +"I must submit to my hard destiny," thought the Count; "I have not made +a very brilliant commencement of my sporting adventures, but I set out +with the intention of shooting birds, and apparently the island abounds +with them." + +In a short time the barge touched the sandy beach. + +"You will step on shore, Count Funnibos," said the skipper, with an +ill-favoured grin on his countenance. + +"But I have paid my passage-money, and I protest." + +"We settled that point some time ago," said the skipper; "you will step +on shore, as I have just remarked." + +The Count looked at the mate and the crew. Their countenances wore the +same ill-favoured expression as did that of the skipper. They merely +placed a plank from the bow of the barge to the beach. + +"You will walk along the plank, Count Funnibos," said the skipper. + +The Count took up his knapsack, his gun, and his telescope, and, +shrugging his shoulders with as dignified an air as he could assume, +obeyed. The moment he had set foot on the island, the plank was +withdrawn and his retreat cut off. Directly afterwards the mate and the +crew shoved the barge away from the shore, and began rowing as before, +while the skipper resumed his seat at the helm, and puffed calmly from +his pipe, as if he had just performed some meritorious act. A few +sea-birds came flying in with loud cries and shrieks from their daily +fishing excursions over the waters, but they would not have afforded him +a palatable meal even if he had shot one of them. + +"The sand is soft, that is one comfort," he thought; "and there are no +wild beasts, wolves, or bears to trouble me; it might have rained, or +there might have been a strong cold wind, or I might have been more +hungry than I am; so I might have been worse off. A boat of some sort +will probably be passing during the day and take me off. I may at +present consider myself very like that great hero, Robinson Crusoe, or +any other mariner who has been wrecked or marooned on a desert island." + +These sort of thoughts occupied his mind till he fell fast asleep. +Having had a long walk the previous day, he was more tired than usual, +and did not once wake during the whole night. The rays of the rising +sun glaring into his eyes aroused him, and he sprang to his feet, +feeling rather stiff and somewhat chilled, for the night had been cold. +He climbed to the top of a sand-hill, that he might take a wider survey. +Scarcely had he reached it than he observed a boat approaching the +shore. Putting down his gun and knapsack, he took out his telescope, +and that he might steady it, stretched himself on the side of the +sand-hill. Having adjusted the focus, he directed it towards the boat. +She came nearer and nearer. He saw that she contained several people, +who seemed to have the intention of landing. + +"I shall now be able to escape from this," he thought. + +As the boat approached he could clearly distinguish the features of +those in her. He could not be mistaken; three were ladies--the Vrouw +Van Arent and her two daughters; three were gentlemen--Mynheer Van +Arent, Mynheer Bunckum, and a stranger. They helped the ladies out of +the boat, and then all six walked along the beach. The stranger offered +his arm to the fair Isabelle, which she took with evident willingness. +Mynheer Bunckum walked on with Vrouw Margaret, and the old couple +followed. + +"No, I cannot join them. I cannot so demean myself as to ask for a +passage to the shore," muttered the Count. "I only hope that they will +not discover me. I shall certainly not discover myself, if I can help +it." + +If curiosity had brought the party to the island, they were soon +satisfied, for in a short time they re-embarked, and the Count had lost +his chance of escaping for that time. + +"It is better that it should be so," he said. "I should only have had +to answer disagreeable questions, and perhaps have subjected myself to +further indignities." + +Hunger now compelled him to seek for food, and loading his gun, he +looked out for a bird which might come within range, but the birds all +kept at a wary distance. He observed, further to the south, that the +island was very much lower, and that the birds frequented it in greater +numbers; he accordingly bent his steps in that direction. It appeared +level, and, as far as he could judge, easy to walk over. On reaching +it, however, he found that it was sprinkled with so many shallow pools +that he would speedily wet his boots through, therefore, sitting down on +the first dry spot he came to, he pulled them off and hung them over his +shoulders. + +"Come, I feel something like a sportsman now," he said to himself. + +Immediately afterwards a duck came quacking by within range. He fired, +and, to his infinite satisfaction, brought it to the ground. He rushed +eagerly forward to secure his prize, and although it went fluttering on +for some distance, he succeeded in catching it, and, wringing its neck, +hung it behind him. + +"I need no longer fear dying of starvation, even although I may have to +spend a day or two on this desert spot," he said to himself. + +To his delight he brought down, before long, another duck, and was now +thinking of returning to the higher ground, when he saw a boat passing +near the further end of the low part of the island. He rushed forward +to make a signal, hoping to attract the attention of those on board, but +by the time he had got to the point to which he was directing his steps, +the boat was at such a distance that his signals could not be seen. On +and on he went; the sea-fowl came shrieking and quacking round him, +when, to his dismay, he observed that dark clouds were gathering in the +sky, threatening a storm of no gentle nature. + +"This sort of work is all very well in fine weather, but I have no fancy +to be exposed to drenching rain and howling wind," he said to himself. +"I must get back, at all events, to the higher ground." + +He had got so far from it, that this was no easy matter. Before he had +walked for many minutes, down came the rain like a sheet of water, +driven against him by the fierce wind. + +He had now good reason to be seriously alarmed. The water in the pools, +before scarcely up to his ankles, now reached almost to his knees. "Can +the dykes have been burst through?" he thought. "If so, my fate is +sealed--not only mine, but that of numbers of the inhabitants of the +surrounding district." From the rapid way in which the surface of the +Meer rose he felt convinced that this must be the case. Still the love +of life compelled him to try and save himself, and he did not despair; +although, as far as he could see, no means of making his escape were +likely to present themselves. + + + +CHAPTER SIXTEEN. + +As he was hurrying on along the shore, he saw what looked to him like a +wheelbarrow, with a heap of gourds or inflated skins, or some other +roundish objects, though he could scarcely at the distance distinguish +what they were. He reached the spot. "Come, at all events, if the +waters rise, as I fear they will, these things will enable me to +construct a raft on which I may manage to float on the troubled waters," +he said to himself. + +Lashing them together, he took his seat on the top of this curiously +constructed raft. Scarcely had he done so, when the waters came rushing +over the island, and carried him and his raft far away as they swept +onward in their course. On and on he went, his very natural fear being +that he should be carried into the Zuyder Zee; he soon, however, came in +sight of land raised above the waters, on which he could distinguish +cottages and other buildings. + +"Well, this is a new style of navigation, but I ought to be thankful +that I have got something to keep me above water," he said to himself. + +He of course, as he glided on, was looking about in all directions, and +he now caught sight in the distance of what he hoped was a boat. Again +and again he cast his eager gaze at the object. Yes, it was a boat, and +a man was in her; he waved his hat and shouted. As he approached, the +Count looked at him; yes, he was, there could be no doubt about it, the +one-eyed mariner, old Pieter, who shouted-- + +"Hold on, Mynheer! hold on! and I will soon be up to you." + +"What, don't you know me?" asked the Count, as Pieter got near. + +"Bless me, of course I do; and glad I am to have come to take you on +board, or you might have been carried away into the Zuyder Zee, or +somewhere else, for aught I can tell. When I saw you on board Captain +Jan Dunck's vessel, I tried to get near enough to warn you that you must +beware of him, as I felt sure that he would play you some scurvy trick +or other. He has been going on from bad to worse, all owing to the +oceans of schiedam he has poured down that ugly mouth of his." + +This was said when the Count was comfortably seated in the stern of +Pieter's boat. There was another person on board whom the Count +recognised as the small ship's boy, who had long been Pieter's faithful +companion. He nodded and smiled his recognition, and seemed highly +delighted at again meeting with the Count. + +"And now where shall we go?" asked Pieter. + +"To the nearest shore where I can obtain food and shelter, and change my +wet garments," answered the Count. + +"Well, you do look dampish," observed Pieter. + +"Damp! I have been wet to the skin for these hours past, and almost +starved to death in the bargain," said the Count. + +"Then I will lose no time in taking you to Meppel, or any other place we +can most easily reach." And bending his back to the oars, the one-eyed +mariner pulled away. + +"`One good turn deserves another,' as the old saying is," observed +Pieter, for he wanted to say something to keep up the Count's spirits. +"You saved my life and gave me this boat, and now I have the +satisfaction of saving yours." + +"You are an honest fellow, Pieter, and as I prize honest men, of whom I +have not discovered as many as I desire in the world, I should be glad +if you and the small ship's boy will accompany me, and I will endeavour +to obtain some post which I consider suited to your merits." Old Pieter +gladly accepted the Count's offer, and it did not make him pull the less +vigorously. All night long they rowed on, till they arrived at a part +of the country which the flood had not reached. Here Pieter took the +Count to the house of a farmer to whom the honest boatman was well +known, having been on various occasions employed by him. The good +farmer treated the Count with the utmost hospitality and kindness. It +was some days, however, before the Count had sufficiently recovered to +be once more himself, and able to extend his walks beyond the precincts +of the farm. He had gone one day to some distance, when he saw a large +and picturesque house rising amid an extensive shrubbery; an open gate +invited him to enter. As he walked along he caught the sound of voices, +and presently found himself in the presence of a party of gentlemen, +seated round a table with books and papers before them. Conspicuous on +one side was a large easel supporting a handsome picture. "Ah! this is +something out of the way," thought the Count, and advancing he made a +bow and introduced himself. + +"You are welcome, noble Count, to our revels," said one of the +gentlemen, who appeared to be the president. "But ours is a feast of +reason and the flow of soul, and we are met here to discuss works of +art, to hear read the practical effusions of our members, and to enjoy +the society of men of intellect and erudition." + +"A very praiseworthy and satisfactory mode of passing time, and I am +fortunate in having fallen into such good company," remarked the Count. + +The various members of the society individually welcomed him. A poet +had just read some verses he had composed, which were received with +thundering applause, one of the excellent rules of the society being +that every one was to praise the works of the rest. The artist now +exhibited his paintings; when the others had admired them to their fill, +the Count looked at them through his spectacles, and if he did make a +mistake, and suppose that a horse was a cow, or a sheep a pig, he wisely +kept his opinion to himself, merely exclaiming: "Beautiful! how true to +nature. What exquisite colouring; what elegant outlines! yet all are +equalled by the composition." As no one asked him to point out the +individual excellencies of which he spoke, he was looked upon as a +first-rate judge of art. + +"Now, gentlemen, as our friend Scrubzen has not been able to-day to +complete his grand picture, I am deputed to invite you to inspect it +to-morrow, when it will be in a more forward state. We shall, I hope, +be favoured by your presence, Count Funnibos?" + +"By all means," answered the Count, who was highly pleased with the +society into which he had fallen; and he parted from them to return to +the house of his hospitable entertainer. The next morning he set out to +repair to the house of which the president had given him the address. + +"Several of Scrubzen's admirers have already arrived," said the +president, whom he met at the door; "and with them a distinguished +foreigner." + +As the Count and the president entered, they saw at the further end of +the room a large picture on an easel representing a coast scene. On one +side stood the artist explaining the details of his painting; a number +of ladies and gentlemen were gazing at it with admiring glances; but one +figure especially attracted the attention of the Count. It was, there +could be no doubt about it, Baron Stilkin, whom he thought had long +since reached Amsterdam, or had returned to his family mansion. Yes, it +was the Baron, not decreased in rotund proportions since they parted. +"Grand, very grand!" he exclaimed in sonorous tones, approaching the +picture. "It reminds me forcibly of the best of Claude's productions; +exquisite colouring!" + +"And what is your opinion, Count Funnibos?" asked the President. + +"He has grown wonderfully fat," answered the Count, who was thinking of +the Baron. "I fear that no carriage can be found strong enough to take +him home." + +"I beg your pardon, Count, I was speaking of the picture," remarked the +President. The Baron, however, had heard the Count's voice; turning +round, he opened his arms to give him a friendly embrace. + +"What, my dear Count! Is it you, yourself?" + +"I think you ran away and left me to my mysterious fate," said the +Count, with a slight degree of stiffness. "I conclude that you did not +receive my letter requesting you to meet me at Amsterdam, and stating +the reasons for my not rejoining you sooner; however, I am very glad to +see you again." + +"No, indeed, I received no letter," answered the Baron. "Had I done so, +it would have saved me a world of anxiety." + +"We must remember that we are in the presence of strangers," said the +Count. "Our friend here desired to know my opinion of that magnificent +picture. I may add that it surpasses my utmost expectations." + +His opinion highly pleased the artist as well as the spectators, who +were delighted to find their countryman's production so highly praised +by two distinguished foreigners. + +"And now, Count," said the Baron, as they walked away arm in arm, "I am +compelled to return home. My son, the hope of my house, is about to +marry a lady whose magnificent fortune will retrieve the fallen fortunes +of our family. Will you accompany me?" + +"By all manner of means," answered the Count. "I have met with +sufficient adventures, or rather misadventures, to satisfy me for the +rest of my life. I have seen a large portion of Holland, if not the +whole of it, and I am satisfied that it is as well worth seeing as any +country in the world." + +"Your decision gives me infinite satisfaction," answered the Baron. "We +will go back to-morrow, and I hope that you will be present at the +wedding of my beloved son. I would rather he married the lady himself, +though she is of an age which might have been considered suitable to +me." + +The Count and the Baron travelled back, accompanied by Pieter and the +small ship's boy, at a far greater speed than that at which they had +performed their outward journey. The Count was greatly relieved that +his castle and estates had not run away during his absence, although +Johanna Klack, at the very hour of his arrival, gave him notice that she +must give up his service. + +"To-morrow is the day fixed for my dear son's wedding," said the Baron, +who had called on the Count. "You will, I trust, honour him and me by +your presence, and that of your household." + +"By all means," said the Count. "I will come myself, and bring one-eyed +Pieter and the small ship's boy. It will be a novel and interesting +spectacle to them." + +The Count and his attendants arrived. The happy bridegroom appeared +dressed in the height of fashion, the hour for the nuptial party to set +out had struck. + +"I must go in and bring forth the bride," he said; and he soon +reappeared with a female, holding a large bouquet in her hand. She wore +a wreath of roses and a white veil over her head; her neck was long, so +was her nose; her figure was the reverse of stout, but that in a +youthful female is to be admired. + +"Is that a mop-stick with clothes hung on it?" whispered the small +ship's boy, as he gazed at the future Baroness. + +"My dear Baron," said the Count, after he had made a profound bow to the +lady, "how did your son manage to make up his mind?" + +"I made it up for him," answered the Baron. "He is a dutiful son, and +does whatever I tell him. Suppose we change the subject, and when the +nuptials are over, what do you say to setting out again on our travels? +I shall be as ready as before to keep the accounts, and I hope to put a +fair share into the common fund." + +"I will think about it," said the Count. "At present, I have had +travelling enough to satisfy me for some time to come; and as Johanna +Klack has left my service, I do not know into whose hands I can +satisfactorily leave the charge of my castle and estates during my +absence." + +THE END. + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Voyages and Travels of Count Funnibos +and Baron Stilkin, by William H. G. 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